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Where does melanoma originate?

Melanoma is a deadly skin disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people globally each year. It is the rarest form of skin cancer, but the deadliest. With melanoma rates on the rise around the world, it begs the question; what causes melanoma?

How melanoma originates and spreads

Melanomas can develop from existing moles or skin growths, but, more commonly, they will form a new growth. Melanoma originates in melanocyte cells found in the top layer of our skin: the innermost layer of the epidermis.

Melanoma is considered the most dangerous form of skin cancer as it typically will spread to other areas of the body, including organs if left untreated. Melanoma can occur anywhere on the body, including areas not exposed to the sun, like inside the mouth, under the nails or on the palms of the hands. Men are more likely to get melanomas on their back while women are more likely to develop them on their legs.

What melanoma causes?

Melanomas are caused by gene mutations. And while there are things that increase the risk factor for developing the gene mutations that cause melanoma, doctors are still unclear on how these factors trigger melanoma to form.

According to the American Cancer Society, most of the gene changes commonly seen in melanoma cells are not inherited. In fact, most cases of melanoma are caused by radiation from sunlight; some studies even put incidences of skin cancer caused by sun exposure at around 95%. The UV (ultraviolet) rays from the sun damage skin cells’ ability to repair DNA. When this happens, the risk of cancer increases.

Some melanomas, especially those formed in areas that aren’t regularly exposed to sunlight, exhibit different gene changes. It’s also important to note that the risk of melanoma increases if someone in the family has had melanoma, with gene mutations passed from one generation to the next.

Catching melanoma early

If melanoma is found early, it can often be cured through relatively simple surgery. But if it is caught at a later stage, it will have already spread to other areas of the body and is more difficult to cure.

Know the different melanoma types.

That’s why it’s important to know the warning signs of melanoma so that you can keep your skin safe and healthy.

SkinVision Customer Stories

Marcel Rila
Marcel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"For people with spots on their skin, it’s indispensable. Why go to the doctor every time or just ignore it?"
Melanie Okkerse
Melanie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"SkinVision is my guardian angel. Without it, I wouldn’t know where I’d be today."
Arjan Both
Arjan

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"To others, I would like to say: ‘If you have a spot, even if you think it’s nothing, take a picture and send it in.’"
Melanie Pemberton
Melanie

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"Today I am sharing my story because I want to encourage people to get their skin checked."
Michel Plass
Michel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Without SkinVision, I might never have gone to the doctor until it was too late."
Pascalle Soer
Pascalle

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I downloaded SkinVision because I had a mole I wasn’t entirely sure about."
Marcel Rila
Marcel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"For people with spots on their skin, it’s indispensable. Why go to the doctor every time or just ignore it?"
Melanie Okkerse
Melanie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"SkinVision is my guardian angel. Without it, I wouldn’t know where I’d be today."
Arjan Both
Arjan

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"To others, I would like to say: ‘If you have a spot, even if you think it’s nothing, take a picture and send it in.’"
Melanie Pemberton
Melanie

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"Today I am sharing my story because I want to encourage people to get their skin checked."
Michel Plass
Michel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Without SkinVision, I might never have gone to the doctor until it was too late."
Pascalle Soer
Pascalle

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I downloaded SkinVision because I had a mole I wasn’t entirely sure about."
Marcel Rila
Marcel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"For people with spots on their skin, it’s indispensable. Why go to the doctor every time or just ignore it?"
Melanie Okkerse
Melanie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"SkinVision is my guardian angel. Without it, I wouldn’t know where I’d be today."
Arjan Both
Arjan

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"To others, I would like to say: ‘If you have a spot, even if you think it’s nothing, take a picture and send it in.’"
Melanie Pemberton
Melanie

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"Today I am sharing my story because I want to encourage people to get their skin checked."
Michel Plass
Michel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Without SkinVision, I might never have gone to the doctor until it was too late."
Pascalle Soer
Pascalle

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I downloaded SkinVision because I had a mole I wasn’t entirely sure about."
Marcel Rila
Marcel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"For people with spots on their skin, it’s indispensable. Why go to the doctor every time or just ignore it?"
Melanie Okkerse
Melanie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"SkinVision is my guardian angel. Without it, I wouldn’t know where I’d be today."
Arjan Both
Arjan

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"To others, I would like to say: ‘If you have a spot, even if you think it’s nothing, take a picture and send it in.’"
Melanie Pemberton
Melanie

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"Today I am sharing my story because I want to encourage people to get their skin checked."
Michel Plass
Michel

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Without SkinVision, I might never have gone to the doctor until it was too late."
Pascalle Soer
Pascalle

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I downloaded SkinVision because I had a mole I wasn’t entirely sure about."
Ellen Suetens
Ellen

Belgium 🇧🇪

"Just use the tool as soon as you think something might be wrong. It’s the first step to quickly seeking help if needed."
Rob Wammes
Rob

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"When I hear people around me talking about checking moles, I recommend SkinVision to them."
Brenda Corbeek
Brenda

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I asked my daughter to take a photo and send it to SkinVision. I received advice almost immediately to consult a doctor within four weeks."
Sally Ann Meadows
Sally

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"The SkinVision app, I think, should be available to everybody. Especially these days with constraints on doctors’ time."
Tom Freriks
Tom

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Its strength lies in how easy it is to use."
Marie Therese
Marie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"You can tell that real people are behind the app, not just a machine or robot."
Ellen Suetens
Ellen

Belgium 🇧🇪

"Just use the tool as soon as you think something might be wrong. It’s the first step to quickly seeking help if needed."
Rob Wammes
Rob

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"When I hear people around me talking about checking moles, I recommend SkinVision to them."
Brenda Corbeek
Brenda

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I asked my daughter to take a photo and send it to SkinVision. I received advice almost immediately to consult a doctor within four weeks."
Sally Ann Meadows
Sally

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"The SkinVision app, I think, should be available to everybody. Especially these days with constraints on doctors’ time."
Tom Freriks
Tom

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Its strength lies in how easy it is to use."
Marie Therese
Marie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"You can tell that real people are behind the app, not just a machine or robot."
Ellen Suetens
Ellen

Belgium 🇧🇪

"Just use the tool as soon as you think something might be wrong. It’s the first step to quickly seeking help if needed."
Rob Wammes
Rob

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"When I hear people around me talking about checking moles, I recommend SkinVision to them."
Brenda Corbeek
Brenda

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I asked my daughter to take a photo and send it to SkinVision. I received advice almost immediately to consult a doctor within four weeks."
Sally Ann Meadows
Sally

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"The SkinVision app, I think, should be available to everybody. Especially these days with constraints on doctors’ time."
Tom Freriks
Tom

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Its strength lies in how easy it is to use."
Marie Therese
Marie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"You can tell that real people are behind the app, not just a machine or robot."
Ellen Suetens
Ellen

Belgium 🇧🇪

"Just use the tool as soon as you think something might be wrong. It’s the first step to quickly seeking help if needed."
Rob Wammes
Rob

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"When I hear people around me talking about checking moles, I recommend SkinVision to them."
Brenda Corbeek
Brenda

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"I asked my daughter to take a photo and send it to SkinVision. I received advice almost immediately to consult a doctor within four weeks."
Sally Ann Meadows
Sally

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

"The SkinVision app, I think, should be available to everybody. Especially these days with constraints on doctors’ time."
Tom Freriks
Tom

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"Its strength lies in how easy it is to use."
Marie Therese
Marie

Netherlands 🇳🇱

"You can tell that real people are behind the app, not just a machine or robot."

Every skin has a story. What will yours be?

Read all our customer stories

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