If you've got a skin lesion larger than six millimeters in diameter, it could be melanoma, says a new study finding that supports the widespread use of diameter guidelines to screen for this deadly cancer.

The "ABCDE" screening method looks at five characteristics of melanoma: asymmetry, border irregularity, color variegation, diameter larger than six millimeters, and changes in a lesion. Some experts caution that looking for only the six-diameter skin spots will cause doctors to miss smaller melanomas. But the researchers involved in this study do not recommend a downward revision of the D criteria at this time.

I say pay attention to each and every one of your skin lesions. Consider the ABCDE components yourself and seek medical attention for anything that seems out of the ordinary, regardless of size, just to be safe. Be sure to see a dermatologist every year for a skin cancer screening. And be safe when you're in the sun by avoiding the rays between 10 am and 4 pm, wearing sun-protective clothing when exposed to sunlight, using sunscreen with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, and avoiding artificial sources of ultraviolet light.

Check out this National Council on Skin Cancer site for more on preserving your skin.

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As far as minor inflictions of the body go, I find few things more annoying that canker sores (itchy mosquito bites are probably the only thing that I find as irritating). The painful sores make eating less enjoyable -- it's hard to get excited about a tasty meal when every mouthful brushes against the spot and sends a minor jolt through your face, and make brushing teeth a chore.

According to this, the good news is that cankers are not caused by a virus or bacterial infection but result from an injury to a part of the mouth (in my case, too much sour candies or a bite to the tongue tend to be the culprits). While painful, most cankers go away on their own within a few days. Cold sores are a slightly different story.

I've been lucky enough so far to not catch the herpes simplex virus 1 that causes the nasty lesions (according to the piece cold sores can also be contracted via oral sex from the herpes simples virus 2. Yikes!) but I've heard others complain about what a pain they are. Like cankers, these sores, which consist of a group of small blisters that eventually burst, will go away on their own after approximately 2 weeks.

They certainly don't sound like fun, so to learn more about prevention and treatment read more about cold sores here. And keep in mind, that any unidentifiable sore in your mouth could be the sign of something more serious so if you've got something in there that seems funny and doesn't go away on its own, make sure to see your doctor about it.

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Skin cancer has become so common in recent years I think most people could name at least a few of the signs to look for when wondering if a "spot" is cancerous or not. But the ABCD rule -- asymmetry, border irregularity, color irregularity, and large diameter -- has actually become somewhat dangerous. How is that possible? A study out of Australia shows that often melanomas (the fastest growing and most deadly form of skin cancer) do not have any of the ABCD characteristics, and actually go so far as to be completely opposite (regular borders, even color, symmetrical, etc). They are, though, usually itchy or bleeding and elevated.

So what's the best way to be safe? Have any growing or changing skin lesion checked by a professional asap, whether it fits any symptom set or not.

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Just a few weeks ago, first lady Laura Bush had a cancerous lesion removed from her right shin. It was found to be the second most common form of skin cancer, squamous cell carcinoma. When asked why she didn't say anything about it sooner, she answered simply "It's no big deal and we knew it was no big deal at the time." The lesion was about the size of a nickel, and the whole subject came up finally when somebody asked why she was wearing a bandage on her leg at a Hanukah ceremony recently.

As for her "no big deal" comment: squamous cell carcinomas are responsible for less than 0.1 percent of cancer deaths, but they are also more likely to spread to other areas of the body than basal cell (the most common form of skin cancer) and do require more follow-up monitoring.

There also seems to be some debate on whether or not she should have made the issue public sooner, and I have to side with her on this one. Getting a diagnosis of cancer is scary (whether she admits it or not), and since she's not personally an elected official (and so isn't required to disclose the same way the President is) I can't blame her for wanting to keep this to herself and close family -- at least until she knew what she was dealing with.

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