Skin cancer

What is skin cancer? Skin cancer is a disease that continues to be on the rise every year, with over 3.5 million cases diagnosed in 2013 alone. Despite that, there are still many who don't know what it looks like or how to spot the signs of skin cancer early enough for treatment to be effective. This article aims to teach you how to identify the symptoms of this deadly disease and what you can do about it! 

We will also go into detail about skin cancer's causes, risk factors, and prevention. What does skin cancer look like? Skin cancer can be detected through visual inspection by a trained professional, such as a dermatologist or a nurse practitioner. But if you don't have access to a professional, there are other things you can do to detect skin cancer, such as looking for these signs: A mole that is changing color, shape, or size, or that is bleeding or itching, A spot that bleeds, or a sore that doesn't heal, A bump that is growing or changing in size, shape, or color, A rash on your scalp, neck, arms, legs, or groin.

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer out there, with over 3.5 million cases occurring every year in the United States alone. Aside from this, an estimated 14% of people develop some form of skin cancer at some point in their lives... and there are 1.8 million new cases diagnosed annually! To put these numbers into perspective, 1-3 people die every hour due to skin cancer. The number of people dying from skin cancer each year has risen by 1% every single year for over 25 years straight.

According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and worldwide.

• The American Cancer Society reports that 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer before they reach age 70.
• Skin cancer is one of the most common and dangerous cancers, claiming more than 2 lives each hour in the United States.
• There’s a strong link between having 5 or more sunburns and developing melanoma.
• Melanoma is an aggressive form of skin cancer and the prognosis depends on how soon the cancer is detected and how much of it is removed. The 5-year survival rate for melanoma is high, and with early detection, melanoma can be cured.

One of the main reasons why people should know about the signs and symptoms of skin cancer is to be able to detect the problem early. This will prevent cancer from spreading or getting worse. Read more... There are many different signs to look for when you suspect you may have skin cancer. A sign of skin cancer can be any change in your skin. Your doctor will look for cancerous tumors using a microscope to examine the cells, and any suspicious moles or spots on your skin will be biopsied.

What are the symptoms of skin cancer? Symptoms: redness, soreness, thickening, scales, swelling, and change in skin color. If you have a mole that is changing in size, shape, color or is bleeding or itching, this could be a sign of melanoma. 

A mole that is changing in size, shape, color, or sensation may be a sign of melanoma. Melanomas can occur on any part of your body but most often they appear on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands. A mole that changes color could also be a sign of melanoma. Some moles do not change, but the color is darker or lighter than it had been before. Melanomas can also become painful and larger, and itchy (like a blister, but without pain).

How Do You Know If You Have Skin Cancer? 

One way to know if you have skin cancer is to look for any of these symptoms: A bump or lump that won’t go away Red, scaly, or itchy patches A sore that won’t heal Skin changes that seem different than what you had before Painful areas of the skin that don’t seem to heal Persistent swelling Fever Bleeding If you notice any of these symptoms, you should see your doctor right away. It is important to get help as soon as you notice a symptom of skin cancer.

What are the most common types of skin cancers?

Melanoma: the most common type of skin cancer, melanoma is caused by overexposure to sunlight and its incidence has increased greatly in recent years and is one of the more dangerous types of skin cancer. It is commonly diagnosed in late stages because it can occur anywhere on the body, causing it to spread quickly throughout the body.

Non-melanoma: Non-melanomas include squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and malignant melanomas. These less common types of skin cancer are harmless, but they can become serious if they get infected. They’re also more likely to occur on different parts of the body than other types because certain areas are more sensitive to sun exposure or have smaller spaces for tumors to grow inside your skin.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), is the most common type of skin cancer. However, it can be easily removed and treated. It’s also less likely to spread than other types of skin cancer. Basal cell carcinoma generally forms in sun-exposed areas on the head, neck, arms, hands and legs. Basal cell carcinomas are typically oval or round in shape and blemishes on the skin may not appear until they’re fairly large (1 to 3 inches across). They often develop into ulcers that bleed or crust over before they get diagnosed.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. It can often be easily removed if performed by a specialist. These tumors often form in the nose, ears, lips, back of the neck, and shoulders. They are usually red or brown in color with sharp borders that can cause lumpy, fleshy growths referred to as papules. Papules are typically painless but when they begin to grow in size they can become larger and painful.

Nevus is a common skin cancer that sometimes appears when someone is in their late teens or early twenties. This benign tumor grows on areas of the face with little sun exposure, such as on the cheeks and forehead of young men and women. They often look like moles or birthmarks, but nevi can develop into dangerous skin cancers.

What are the risk factors for getting skin cancer?

Age: age is one of the biggest risk factors for getting skin cancer. The older you are, the more likely you are to suffer from many health problems including skin cancer. Skin cancer is very common in adults over 65 years old, but it can occur in people who are much younger. Skin damage due to sun exposure usually first shows up between ages 20 and 40 years old.

Gender: Men are far more likely to develop melanomas than women of the same age group. However, women are more likely to contract breast cancer or uterine cancer than men of the same age. 

Exposure to the sun: exposure to sunlight can greatly increase your chances of getting skin cancer. Although many people do not even realize that the sun is harmful to their skin, it can lead to dangerous conditions such as skin cancer. It is important that you protect your skin from sunlight by wearing sunscreen or avoiding exposure altogether if possible. The main cause for this is that UV rays mutate cells on your skin which can eventually develop into melanomas. Sunscreen use is very important when it comes to protecting your skin from UV rays.

How is skin cancer diagnosed?

In most cases, your doctor can diagnose skin cancer by looking at your skin and performing a biopsy of the affected area. These types of tests are done to determine if cells in the tumor under the microscope look like cancer cells or if they appear normal.

What is the treatment for skin cancer?

Depending on the type of skin cancer you have, treatment may include: Surgery - Skin cancers can be removed through surgery. This procedure removes a tumor and surrounding tissue and may also include reconstruction of the site with plastic surgery if necessary. Radiation - Radiation therapy can often be used to help control or eliminate tumor growths that have not spread beyond the original site.

How is skin cancer treated? There are many treatment options available for skin cancer. Depending on the type of skin cancer, treatments can be as simple as topical medications or as complex as surgery.

Treatment/ prevention: skin protection during sunlight exposure, sunscreen use, and regular checkups. A large number of people are able to prevent skin cancer thanks to these tips. A large amount of sunlight exposure is very important when it comes to preventing skin cancer because when your skin is exposed to the sun, it increases the chances of getting melanoma (skin cancer). The #1 cause of skin cancer is excessive exposure to UV rays, which can be avoided by using sun protection. 

What are the main points of this discussion? Carefully examine any areas of your skin that you think might be damaged. Keep in mind that the sun can cause problems in either one or more of these categories: decreased immunity, premature aging, or an increase in skin cancer.

Observe the area where the problem started and look for any changes. If something looks abnormal, get it checked out immediately by a doctor to make sure there isn’t an underlying problem that needs medical care. The doctor will examine your skin thoroughly to make sure no other types of cancer are present at this time.

DO NOT skip out on preventative measures against skin cancer just because it has not appeared yet. You should always protect your skin from the sun by wearing sunblock and limiting time spent outdoors during the summer season.