The Skin Cancer Foundation can be Rated R this year with a suggestion that made me a bit light headed. On Valentine’s Day do a skin cancer exam all over your partner’s body.

Although you want to mainly check your partner’s head, including the ears and scalp, give special attention to shoulders, arms and for women, behind the legs. Check anything that’s exposed to the sun — or not — closely, so, closely, regardless how how much sun the body part gets.
Start with a look at the Foundation’s website for instruction on a skin cancer self-exam and browse around for what to seek.
Then, say the instructions, “Take off all your clothes together. And it shouldn’t take longer than ten minutes.” Yeah right. And what fun is that? I’d say do this in front of the fire place with the lights down and a small flashlight, champagne, brie and strawberries — and go a lot slower, and be … very, very thorough; very, very close, so close that the warmth from your steamy breath caresses every pore and she … Oops. Sorry. I got distracted.

Actually, this is a pretty healthy practice. The Foundation boasts that couples who examine each other find more trouble spots than individuals who do self-exams.
The couples in the Foundation’s studies did the exams more often (well, duh) and felt more confident about checking their own skin.
Head-to-toe skin examinations should be done once a month, says the Foundation. “While it is possible to do it yourself, certain areas of the body, such as the back and the scalp, can be difficult to examine without the aid of an extra pair of eyes.” I’d add, behind the ears, across the neck, on each eyelid … oops, my mind is wandering again.
Early detection remains the most effective weapon against skin cancer and any cancer. Even melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, can be cured if it’s found early enough.
As your fingers check your partner, inch, by precious inch, look for:
– Any change in a mole or discover a new one that looks suspicious.
– Scars or abrasions that won’t heal.
– Areas of skin that become hard and inflamed for no apparent reason.