Be More Aware of the First Signs of Skin Cancer

First signs of skin cancer are a change to your skin. The most common change in your skin in conjunction with skin cancer is something which is growing on your skin. This growth can appear on the skin in many ways. Other signs of skin cancer including a new growth or sore that will not heal, a spot or mole or sore that itches or hurts and a mole or growth that bleed crusts or scabs. Any change in a mole, freckle or normal patch of skin that occurs quickly over weeks or months should be taken seriously. Though the change isn’t a certain cancer sign, it’s important to see a doctor because it can be the first signs of skin cancer.

Skin cancer is also known as skin neoplasia. The two most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (or basal cell carcinoma epithelioma) and squamous cell carcinoma ( the first stage of which is called actinic keratosis usually appears on people after age 40, but they can show up in much younger people). Together, these two are also referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer. Nonmelanoma skin cancer is generally curable. The cure rate for nonmelanoma skin cancer could be 100% if these lesions were brought to a doctor’s attention before they had a chance to spread. The third form is called melanoma which is generally the most serious form of skin cancer because it tends to spread (metastasize) throughout the body quickly. Treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancer depends on the type and location of the skin cancer, the risk of scarring, as well as the age and health of the patient. However, the first signs of skin cancer from all these 3 types can look different for each and every person; it depends on a variety of factors including lifestyle and general health.

In the USA this year, about a million people will be newly diagnosed with skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. And more than 7,000 will die from it. One person dies from malignant melanoma every hour in the USA. It’s the scariest thing for a dermatologist because a malignant melanoma if not caught early, treated and diagnosed, can metastasize, or spread to inner organs, and kill people. So it is really important to keep checking our body to find any worrisome growths to establish, because it could be the first signs of skin cancer.

First Signs of Skin Cancer on Face