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Where does melanoma start?

The start of melanoma isn’t always from a mole. It can also occur normal-appearing skin, where a lesion appears and starts to develop. This usually (but not exclusively) happens in places that have had exposure to sunlight like your back, legs, arms, and face.

Technically speaking, melanoma is cancer that begins in the melanocytes. Melanocytes are the cells in your body that produce melanin; these protect the deeper layers of the skin from UV radiation of the sun.

Hidden places where melanoma starts

As mentioned before, melanoma can start anywhere on your body. There are some hidden places to keep an eye on, as they are known for developing melanomas that are hard to spot. First, there are a few places that are considered ‘hidden’ because they don’t get a lot of exposure to the sun – like between your toes and on your palms, soles, scalp or genitals.

Then there are places on your body that you won’t check on a daily basis because it’s hard to check, or you simply don’t think about it. Examples are in the mouth or nose, under a nail, and in the eye. These may be mistaken for other conditions. So if you feel uncomfortable about anything, go and see your doctor to understand the issue.

Here are some early photos of melanoma so that you have some idea what to look out for.

Read more about: What is melanoma? the complete story

SkinVision Customer Stories

Marcel Rila
Marcel Rila

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 Okkerse

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Pemberton

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Okkerse

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Pemberton

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Okkerse

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Pemberton

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Okkerse

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Pemberton

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Wammes

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Ann Meadows

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Wammes

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Ann Meadows

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Wammes

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Ann Meadows

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Wammes

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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 Ann Meadows

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

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

Netherlands 🇳🇱

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

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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