Ugly Duckling Moles and Melanoma Skin Cancer from a Memphis Dermatologist

George Woodbury
Jun 23
4 min read

by George Woodbury Jr. M.D. (06/23/2025)

Cordova Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury talks with a patient about Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury counsels a patient about Melanoma Skin Cancer

Skin Cancer including Melanoma takes the lives of upwards of 20,000 Americans every year. That’s about one person every 26 minutes. The good news is that early detection leads to early treatment. Let’s take a look at an important warning feature – the “Ugly Duckling Mole” - that Dermatologists like myself have used to catch many Melanomas that might otherwise go unchecked.

Dermatologist checking a man's back for Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma — Dermatologist doing a Skin Cancer Screening to try to detect Melanoma Skin Cancer

So, you’ve got to look for Skin Cancer to detect Skin Cancer. Getting a Skin Cancer Screening regularly – by both yourself and by a Dermatologist – really helps. And to spot what might be a suspicious growth early, you do need to get your family members pretty much completely undressed, at least once a month, for a home inspection, because Skin Cancer can occur on all parts of the body. Remember that the most common location for Melanoma in women is the upper leg, and for men it’s the back, areas of the body that many of us do not routinely check.

The photo below shows a Melanoma, with Color variability and a dark Color.

Melanoma exhibiting the Ugly Duckling Sign meaning it would be out of step with the person's other moles in color or size — Classic Melanoma with an irregular Border

We Dermatologists routinely look for the A, B, C, D, E warning signs of Skin Cancer: also called the abcde warning signs of skin cancer, rules of thumb for recognizing significant lesions or growths. And I’d like to add a sixth warning sign that’s allowed me to spot many Skin Cancers early: the “Ugly Duckling Mole” sign.

A stands for Asymmetry: one half of the lesion does not match the other half.

B stands for Border: a jagged border, perhaps like the coast of Maine, rather than of Florida.

C stands for Color change: different hues of brown or black within the lesion, or one mole that’s a darker color than the person’s other moles.

D stands for an increasing Diameter of the lesion.

E stands for Evolving: if the lesion is changing, it’s best to bring it to the attention of a Dermatologist.

Melanoma tends to be a pigmented lesion in Evolution meaning that it's changing over time — Melanoma on a man's forehead with dark Color and an irregular Border

But there is also an important sixth warning sign: the “Ugly Duckling Mole Sign,” by which I mean a mole that by itself might look low risk, but when compared to a person’s other moles, it stands out. It might be darker than a person’s other moles, or it might have a different shade of grey, or it might be more raised. I’ve caught many Melanomas over the years by simply looking for “Ugly Duckling Moles.”

Melanoma tends to occur on the back in men and on the legs in women but this type of Skin Cancer can occur on all parts of the body — Teenager undergoing a Skin Cancer Screening to check for Melanoma Skin Cancer

And the youngest patient in my own Memphis Dermatology practice with Melanoma was only ten years old! Remember that the median age for Melanoma is 52. So we have to inspect young people as well as seniors. And everyone is at risk of Melanoma, not just redheads and people who burn in the sun. I have diagnosed Basal Cell Carcinoma, and Squamous Cell Carcinoma, the most common types of Skin Cancer, in men and women in my office in their twenties.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is the second most common type of Skin Cancer after Basal Cell Carcinoma and it tends to favor sun-exposed parts of the body — A Squamous Cell Carcinoma on a man's shoulder

We know what action to take for suspicious moles or growths: if caught early, generally a simple removal, or “excision” of the lesion under local anesthetic, is curative. If the lesion turns out to be a precancerous lesion – such as a high-risk atypical mole – or a full-fledged skin cancer – a Dermatologic Surgeon like myself would often try to ensure that the lesion is completely out – by doing what’s called a “reexcision."

Melanoma can occur in sun-exposed and sun-protected parts of the body including the hair-bearing areas of the scalp — Cordova Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury counsels a patient about Moles and Melanoma Skin Cancer

Mohs Surgery, sometimes called Mohs Micrographic Surgery, available in my own Memphis Dermatology practice since 2004, is often helpful for Basal Cell Skin Cancer and Squamous Cell Skin Cancer on areas of the body wherein Dermatologic Surgeons like myself need to limit the amount of skin removed, like the face, neck, or scalp, or for certain high-risk types of Skin Cancer, or for recurrent Skin Cancer.

Couple doing their own Skin Cancer Screening — Melanoma tends to occur on men's backs and on women's legs

I have practiced as a Memphis Dermatologist for over 32 years with Rheumatology and Dermatology Associates, Cordova, TN (1-901-753-0168; wwwRheumderm.com). Or you can find a Dermatologist closer to you, or “Best Dermatologist Near Me,” or “Best Dermatologists Near Me,” by going to the American Academy of Dermatology web site, AAD.org, then simply plugging your zip code into the “Find a Dermatologist” tab.

For more helpful tips and photos of melanoma, go to the Skin Cancer Foundation website: skincancer.org.

Melanoma Skin Cancer occurs in men and women with a median age of 52 — Scarlet Akins developed Melanoma Skin Cancer on her knee

My own Memphis Dermatology practice sponsored a short Youtube movie on Melanoma about a beautiful young lady named Scarlet Akins, a 28-year-old woman studying to be a teacher at Ole Miss who discovered a changing spot on her knee when she was about two months from delivering her daughter. Check out her moving story on Youtube: “Understanding the Melanoma Crisis: Scarlet’s Story.”

So see spot. See spot change. See a Dermatologist!

Big River Silk Skincare is all about Science Simplifying Skincare — Memphis Dermatologist Dr. George Woodbury with Big River Silk Skincare staff

In 2016, I became the President of a company called Big River Silk Skincare Inc. (www.Bigriversilkskincare.com). We manufacture and distribute steroid-free exfoliating moisturizer creams –GlycoShea Hand&Body Lotion and GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotion– as well as a gentle moisturizer HypoShea Moisturizer Lotion. Check Big River Silk Skincare out at www.Bigriversilkskincare.com.

GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotion contains Refined Shea Butter and Alpha Hydroxy Acid Glycolic Acid — Glycolic Acid is the Exfoliating Moisturizer ingredient in GlycoShea Facial&Neck Lotipon

The products of Big River Silk Skincare can be purchased on site at 8143 Walnut Grove Road, Cordova TN 38018 – Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM – or on the web: https://www.Bigriversilkskincare.com. USPS shipping and handling for U.S. orders is $7.50 for orders under $75.00, otherwise complimentary shipping and handling.