How do i know if a mole is cancer? i have a family member who has a dark black mole that seems to be growing

Hello. : Hello. Here are some things to look for. Please check the mole for the following. This information comes directly from the american academy of dermatology. Asymmetry: if the mole has asymmetry (one half is unlike the other half). Border: the border is irregular, scalloped or poorly defined. Color: the color is varied and has shades of tan, brown or black; is sometimes white, red or blue. Diameter: the diameter is more than 6 mm (the size of a pencil eraser). Evolving: a mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color. If you have an irregular mole that itches, bleed or is painful, that can be worrisome for possible skin cancer. I do recommend that your family member's mole be assessed.

Cancerous mole: The only way to be certain if a mole is cancerous is to have a dermatologist for example inspect and biopsy a suspicious lesion.

Get new/change chckd: Although changes in our skin are normal as we age, if u notice new changes that r concerning have them looked at by your regular doctor. Most benign skin changes are easy to identify by looking at them. Skin cancer identification is defined by the a, b, c's. A- asymmetric shape. B- borders that are irregular, c-color (multiple colors are concerning) there are some more features but these r basics.