Melanoma Symptoms: The Early Signs to Know
Melanoma is curable when caught early and dangerous when it is not — and the earliest symptoms are changes you can see and feel yourself. This page focuses on the symptoms: what to look for, what it feels like, and which changes mean act this week.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Celina Kazumi Iwasa, MD · Last reviewed 2026-08-30
Quick answer
The most common early symptom of melanoma is change: a mole that is new, growing, darkening, itching or bleeding, or a new pigmented spot that keeps evolving. Use ABCDE — Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter over 6mm, Evolving — plus the ugly duckling sign (one mole unlike all your others). Any mole that changes over weeks, bleeds without injury, or ulcerates should be assessed promptly. Melanoma found early is highly treatable.
One free scan gives a first answer — the 3-month plan tracks how it changes over time.
What melanoma symptoms looks like
Most melanomas are pigmented — brown or black — and break the ABCDE rules. But around 1 in 5 are pink, red or skin-coloured (amelanotic), and nodular melanoma grows fast and evenly coloured, so absence of a dark, irregular mole does not rule melanoma out.
Common locations
- Back and shoulders (most common in men)
- Legs (most common in women)
- Face, scalp and ears with cumulative sun damage
- Palms, soles and under nails (acral — more common in darker skin tones)
- Anywhere, including skin that rarely sees the sun
Typical signs
- A mole changing in size, shape or colour over weeks to months
- More than one colour within a single mole
- Itching, tenderness, bleeding or crusting without injury
- A new pigmented spot appearing in adulthood
- A dark streak under a nail, or pigment spreading to surrounding skin
On brown and Black skin
In brown and Black skin, melanoma more often appears on the palms, soles and under the nails than on sun-exposed skin — check these areas too, not just moles in the sun.
Causes and triggers
Melanoma arises when pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) accumulate DNA damage. Ultraviolet exposure is the biggest driver, but genetics and mole pattern matter too.
| Trigger | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| UV exposure and sunburn | Blistering sunburns, especially in childhood, and cumulative UV exposure are the leading risk factors. |
| Sunbeds | Sunbed use before age 35 is associated with a substantially increased melanoma risk. |
| Many or atypical moles | Having 50+ moles, or several unusual-looking (dysplastic) moles, raises risk. |
| Fair skin and light eyes | Skin that burns easily, red or blonde hair, and freckling increase susceptibility — though every skin tone can develop melanoma. |
| Family history | A first-degree relative with melanoma roughly doubles personal risk. |
Conditions that look similar
Many harmless lesions imitate melanoma, and some melanomas imitate harmless ones. Comparison and change over time are the most reliable tools.
| Condition | How to tell it apart |
|---|---|
| Seborrhoeic keratosis | Waxy, 'stuck-on' brown growths that appear with age; benign but can be dark and irregular. |
| Atypical (dysplastic) mole | Unusual-looking but benign moles; they can share ABCDE features, which is why monitoring change matters. |
| Benign lentigo / sun spot | Flat, uniform brown patches from sun damage; they do not evolve. |
| Pyogenic granuloma | A fast-growing red bump that bleeds easily — can mimic nodular or amelanotic melanoma and needs review. |
| Nail bruise (subungual haematoma) | A dark nail streak after injury grows out with the nail; a streak that stays put or widens needs assessment. |
Treatment options
Treatment depends on how deep the melanoma has grown (Breslow thickness). This is why early detection changes everything: thin melanomas are usually cured by a simple excision.
Surgical excision
The standard treatment for melanoma in situ and thin invasive melanoma — the lesion plus a margin of healthy skin is removed, usually under local anaesthetic. Cure rates for thin melanoma exceed 95%.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy
For thicker melanomas, the nearest lymph node is checked for spread to guide staging and further treatment.
Immunotherapy and targeted therapy
For melanoma that has spread, checkpoint inhibitors (such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab) and targeted BRAF/MEK drugs have transformed survival over the past decade.
Adjuvant therapy after surgery
Higher-risk melanomas removed surgically may be followed by drug therapy to reduce recurrence risk.
Ongoing skin surveillance
After melanoma, regular full-body skin checks and self-examination are lifelong — the risk of a second primary melanoma is elevated.
When to see a doctor
Any changing mole deserves a review within weeks — not months. Some symptoms mean you should be seen urgently.
Red flags
- A mole that is visibly growing or changing over a period of weeks
- Bleeding, oozing or crusting without injury
- A new dark streak in a nail, or pigment spreading onto the skin beside it
- A firm, rapidly growing lump (possible nodular melanoma)
- A mole that looks obviously different from every other mole you have (ugly duckling)
Frequently asked questions
What are the first symptoms of melanoma?
Usually change: a mole that grows, darkens, develops an irregular edge or multiple colours, or starts to itch or bleed. A completely new pigmented spot in adulthood, or one mole that looks unlike all your others, are also early signs. Nodular melanoma may present as a fast-growing firm lump.
Does melanoma hurt or itch?
Early melanoma usually causes no sensation at all — which is why visual checks matter. Some melanomas itch, feel tender, or bleed. Pain is not required for a mole to be dangerous, and its absence is not reassuring.
How quickly do melanoma symptoms develop?
Superficial spreading melanoma typically evolves over months to years. Nodular melanoma can become dangerous in weeks to a few months. Any lesion changing over a 4–12 week period should be assessed rather than watched indefinitely.
Can you have melanoma without a dark mole?
Yes. Amelanotic melanoma is pink, red or skin-coloured and is often mistaken for a harmless bump or eczema patch. It still changes, bleeds or fails to heal — treat any persistent, evolving non-healing spot with the same suspicion.
What should I do if I notice a symptom?
Photograph the spot with a ruler beside it, note the date, and book a GP or dermatologist review. An AI skin check can help you judge urgency, but only a clinician — and when needed a biopsy — can diagnose melanoma.
What are the symptoms of advanced melanoma?
If melanoma spreads, symptoms depend on where: swollen lymph nodes, a persistent cough or breathlessness, unexplained weight loss, headaches or neurological symptoms. Advanced disease is uncommon when melanoma is caught early — early detection is the entire strategy.
Not sure if it is melanoma symptoms?
Upload a clear photo for an instant AI skin check. It compares your image against a library of common skin conditions and tells you whether it warrants a clinician's opinion.
Check your skin nowRelated guides
- Melanoma: the complete guide with pictures
- AI melanoma checker
- Free online mole checker
- Melanoma: full clinical A–Z entry
- Monitor a changing mole for 3 months
This page is for general information and does not replace a medical consultation. If you are worried about a skin change, see a qualified clinician.