The first Monday of every May has been dubbed Melanoma Day by the Academy of Dermatologists in hopes of informing people about it's dangers.

116,000 people are expected to be diagnosed with Melanoma skin cancer in 2008 mostly caused by sun damage. That's why this year, dermatologists are promoting a new slogan for Melanoma Day: see a spot, check a spot, save a life.

We spoke with Rockford Dermatologist Dr. LaKimerly Coates, who told us if we notice any irregularity in our moles, head in for a check up because early detection is key.

When we're looking at those moles, we should remember ABCDE.

A, is for asymmetry you want moles if you cut them in half, have one half look like the other half. The b is the border, you want to clearly see where the mole starts and ends. C is the color, you want it to be the same throughout the mole, and d is the diameter of the size, you want it to be smaller then a pencil eraser. E is for evolving or changing. If your mole is evolving or changing, it's important to have it evaluated and removed."

There's a website you can also head to for help. MelanomaMonday.org, they've got specific details on how we can give ourselves a skin examination.