Learn more about skin cancer, its symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options available

Skin Cancer Symptoms: Pictures, Types, and More

Like other types of cancer, skin cancer is also serious and dangerous if left untreated. In most cases, you do not know if you got skin cancer, especially in its early stages, because it has nonspecific signs and symptoms. You are advised to undergo cancer screening for early diagnosis and treatment regularly. And if there is a family history of skin cancer, you are at a greater risk of developing skin cancer in the future. Therefore, if you have a family history of skin cancer and seek appropriate diagnosis and treatment, Glen Allen Absolute Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center specialists are here to your rescue. The specialists offer thorough evaluations for early skin cancer detection and treatment to prevent complications. Read on below to understand more about skin cancer.

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer refers to the abnormal proliferation of skin cells due to exposure to the sun. An example of skin cancer is melanoma. Usually, routine screening is the best way to detect skin cancer before it progresses and causes serious health concerns. As a result, our care providers perform full-body screenings to determine if you got skin cancer. The care providers are qualified and well experienced in using a dermatoscope which enables them to assess each lesion that seems malignant. The facility also has an in-office Mohs surgeon whose role is to treat cancers located in cosmetically or sensitive areas in your body or complicated cancers.

What are the symptoms of skin cancer?

Examples of symptoms include:

  •         Squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinomas usually appear as red, scaly, firm lesions. It might form on your face, ears, hands, or other body parts exposed to the sun. Typically, they are preceded by actinic keratoses, which form scaly patches.

  •         Basal cell carcinoma

It is the most common type of skin cancer, which also forms on sun-exposed body parts, including the neck and face. It might appear like a bleeding sore, pearly lesion, flesh-colored, waxy bump, or scabbed sore.

  •         Melanoma

It is the most dangerous of all the skin cancer types, and unlike other skin cancer types, it rarely appears on areas of the body that are exposed to the sun. Therefore, it forms in areas such as the soles of your feet or groin. It might also look like a big mole that changes in color, has dark specks, a bleeding mole, or just a lesion with irregular borders. In other cases, it may appear in red, black, white, pink, or bluish.

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

The risk factors for developing skin cancer include fair skin, weak immune system, excessive exposure to the sun, exposure to toxins or radiation, history of blistering sunburns, family history of skin cancer, and actinic keratoses, history of atypical moles, and living in a sunny climate.

Curettage and electrodesiccation, excisional surgery, immune-modulation topicals, and Mohs surgery are some treatment options for skin cancer. Therefore, if you have been diagnosed with skin cancer and seek treatment, you can get started by booking your appointment online at Absolute Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center today.