Skin cancer is on the rise and it’s nothing to take lightly. Some of us spend a good portion of our lives in the sun and for a lot of people it can have terrible consequences. Sun damaged skin is your road map to telling if something is cancerous or not. Skin cancer generally develops in the epidermis and is usually clearly visible. What this means for you, is that skin cancer symptoms makes it easier to detect in early stages. Taking notice to what’s going on with your skin can tell you a lot about what’s going on with your body internally. If you’re careful and can recognize skin cancer in its early stages, you have a greater chance of not dealing with difficulties in the future. There are 3 common skin cancer types: Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. There are skin cancer signs that can be recognized. The best thing to reference is the ABCDE’s of skin cancer when looking at certain areas of your skin that you think may be cancerous or worth getting checked out.

Basal cell carcinoma is often mistaken as a sore that doesn’t heal and is the least severe of the 3. This can usually be completely eliminated without scarring. This usually looks like a smooth, raised bump on your head, shoulders or neck. Squamous cell carcinoma generally looks like a red, scaly, thickened patch and sometimes hard or dome shaped. If it’s not treated, it can grow bigger and is dangerous. The most dangerous skin cancer is melanoma. Melanomas are commonly brown to black in color although some can be pink, red or fleshy in color. A malignant melanoma is severe and can change in shape, color and size. These need to be checked out by a doctor immediately. Melanoma is most common in people between the ages of 20-39. 85% of it is caused by sun damaged skin and long periods of sun exposure. Malignant melanomas in their later stages can be fatal and treatment can increase the survival rate.

Do your homework and do a mole check. Most moles on your body can look very similar and are benign. Any moles or freckles that are different or larger (in diameter) than a pencil eraser, or have ANY characteristics of melanoma or skin cancer listed below, you should definitely have them checked out by a dermatologist.

A is for Asymmetry. Look at the mole or spot on your skin in question. If you drew a circle around it, cut it in half and folded it, does it match up? Is it asymmetrical? One half should match the other half in shape and form. If the two sides don’t look the same, then consider having it checked out by a dermatologist.

B – Border. Take a look at the border of the mole or spot. If the border is uneven, blurred or ragged, it’s a sign to have it checked out. Many melanomas tend to have uneven borders.

C – Color. Normal moles are usually the same color throughout. If the spot or mole has different colors such as brown, black, red, pink or others in it, it’s a warning sign to get it checked out. If the mole or lesion is changing colors before your eyes, get to the dermatologist.

D – Diameter. Get out a pencil or pen with an eraser on it. If the spot/mole is larger than about 6 millimeters or larger than the eraser, it’s time to go to the doc.

Lastly is E for elevation. If your mole is evolving and growing, or much higher than the last time you noticed it, it’s an indicator that something may be up. Melanomas usually grow rapidly, and if a portion of yours is growing or raised, it’s a skin cancer warning sign.

Source: Flickr user mamacal00

Checking your skin once a month for skin cancer symptoms can be a life saver. It’s easy to do and doesn’t take that much time. Skin cancer is commonly found in men on the back and for women, the lower leg. Be sure to check out the hidden areas on your body, like your hands and soles of your feet. If you think you may have a mole that is cancerous, make an appointment with your dermatologist ASAP. If you aren’t sure, do it anyway. Taking a picture of any moles or spots can help you monitor any change going on in sun damaged skin areas. Remember your ABCDE’s and you’ll be in the clear. If you’ve had experiences with skin cancer before, make sure to get checked every year by your doctor. The easiest way to protect yourself is to stay out of the sun, avoid tanning beds and make sure that you’re using an SPF.

I’ve unfortunately had many experiences with skin cancer with myself and my family and it’s painful. What are you experiences with skin cancer?

Tags: skin cancer, Skin Care

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 13th, 2010 at 10:27 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.