Skin cancer is one of the usual types of concern. Each hospital and clinic provider removes many skin cancers a year. Most patients are encouraged to create a booking if they have a lesion anywhere on their body that concerns them.
Also, it would be best to create an appointment if you have any new lesions on your body and are bleeding or itching. Lesions could also appear in an itchy or scaly texture with irregular shapes or borders with different colors. Some doctors would use binocular microscopes to see skin lesions and see if it looks suspicious or needs an operation.
If a lesion needs to get removed, your doctor will start a skin cancer removal and reconstruction in the office for surgical suites. Through a high-powered microscope, the process allows each staff member to identify where cancer starts and stops before beginning the surgery.
There are different kinds of techniques that each clinic uses to maximize the removal of skin cancer. Some physicians would use a local anesthetic to completely numb the skin and avoid risk and side effects. Let’s further know more about skin cancer and its symptoms.
What is Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer happens when the skin cells develop and multiply in a disordered and uncontrolled way. Typically, new skin cells form when they grow old and die when damaged. When this process does not work as it must be, the fast growth of cells may occur.
The group of cells may be benign (noncancerous), which won’t spread or cause you any harm. Or, cancer can spread to tissues nearby or other parts of your body if not treated early. For instance, one out of five people has skin cancer in their life.
You can manage any skin cancer condition once you notice it ahead of time. Treatments for skin cancer include cryotherapy, excision, chemotherapy, radiation, and Mohs surgery. You can check your skin for any size, color, shape of skin growths. Immediately seek your dermatologist once a year for a professional check-up.
How common is this condition?
Skin cancer happens because of ultraviolet light exposure from the sun. There are three types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
Squamous and Basal cell carcinoma are the two common types of skin cancer. Both of these kinds are best known for being “non-melanoma skin cancer.” Melanoma is not as usual as the squamous and basal cell carcinomas but is the most dangerous type.
If left untreated, they are more likely to spread to organs beyond your skin. This event makes it difficult to treat and can be life-limiting at some point. Good thing, if skin cancer gets determined and treated at an early stage, you can be safe.
So, it’s significant to take a few consultations and see things with your healthcare provider and doctor if you think you have the signs. This part will help you avoid any critical issues you may encounter in the future.
Symptoms of Skin Cancer
You can notice skin cancer when your skin changes. There could be a possibility of new growth, a sore that does not heal, or a change in a mole. Thus, not all skin cancers look the same.
To determine the symptoms of skin cancer, you can remember the ABCDEs of Melanoma.
- A is asymmetrical. You can ask yourself, “does the spot or mole has an irregular shape with two parts that look different?”
- B is for the border. Is the edge jagged or irregular?
- C stands for the color. Have you noticed if the skin is uneven?
- D is for the diameter. Is the spot or mole more significant than the size of a pea?
- E is evolving. Do you think the mole or spot changed over the past months or weeks?
If you noticed all of this, it would be best to talk to your doctor and evaluate or assess your skin. Any change in size, color, growth may mean that you have a skin condition occurring in your system.
How Common is it to Have Skin Cancer?
There are countries where skin cancer is the most prominent, like in the United States. There are about 9,500 Americans who get skin cancer every day, for your information. And around 20% of Americans develop skin cancer in a portion of their life.
In any chance that you get five or more sunburns, it doubles the opportunity of growing a melanoma in your system. But, the five-year survival rate is 99% compared to those not treated at an early stage. White people have almost a 30 times higher percentage of skin cancer than those Asian/Pacific Islander persons.
Also, skin cancer is usually in people with skin color who often diagnose the condition later. There are 25% melanoma cases in African Americans who found out that cancer spread to the nearest lymph nodes.
Risk of Skin Cancer
Though most people can develop skin cancer, you’re most at risk if you are:
- Spending more time and playing around the sun
- Live in a sunny or high-altitude climate.
- Get easily sunburned or has a history of them
- Using tanning beds
- A light-colored eyes, red hair or blond and freckled skin
- Many irregular-shaped moles.
- Have actinic keratosis
- Experienced an organ transplant
- Have a family history of skin cancer
- Take medications that weaken the immune system
- Exposed to ultraviolet light therapies for treating the skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema
Where does Skin Cancer Start?
Skin cancer is seen in sun-exposed areas of your skin. This part includes your face, neck, arms, chest, upper back, legs, and hands. Thus, it can also grow in less sun-exposed and more hidden areas of your skin.
Healthcare Provider
Always consider your Healthcare’s provider thought as it would mean a lot. They are the ones who are willing to help you conquer your questions, concerns, or issues. Skin cancer is like any cancer, which can be dangerous. Ensuring that you have enough assistance from your provider and physician will help you in the long run.
Book your appointment now with your trusted clinic and see how things work out for you. May you relieve your skin cancer concern and get the best treatment suitable for you.
