How to Do a Monthly Skin Self-Exam at Home (Head-to-Toe Checklist)
Turn the vague advice to 'watch for changes' into a real monthly routine — including the scalp, soles, and other spots people miss.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a head-to-toe self-exam every month plus a yearly full-body exam by a dermatologist, using a full-length and hand mirror to check hard-to-see spots.
Dermatology organizations advise that monthly self-exams help you learn your own skin so you can spot a new or changing lesion early, while a yearly professional exam catches what's hard to see at home.
Questions we get a lot
How often should I do a skin self-exam?
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a head-to-toe self-exam every month, plus a full-body exam by a dermatologist once a year. Monthly checks help you learn your own skin so a new or changing spot stands out. The professional exam covers areas that are difficult to assess yourself.
Which spots do people most often miss in a self-exam?
Commonly overlooked areas include the scalp, the backs of the legs, the soles of the feet, between the toes, and the back. Using a full-length mirror together with a hand mirror — or asking someone to help with your back and scalp — lets you check these spots. The American Academy of Dermatology provides a step-by-step method for a thorough head-to-toe check.
When should a spot prompt a dermatologist visit?
See a dermatologist for any spot that is new, changing in size, shape or color, asymmetrical, has irregular borders, or that itches, bleeds, or won't heal. Learning your baseline through monthly exams makes these changes easier to notice. Early evaluation gives the best chance of catching skin cancer when it is most treatable.
r/Melanoma: "How exactly am I supposed to check my own back and scalp for new moles — what's the actual routine?"