Skin cancer is a certain type of disease, the sooner it is identified the better treatment and chance of avoiding surgery can be initiated. With early detection, one can talk to a doctor and can diagnose the level of risk and take some guidelines to maintain health.
It’s important to get to know your skin and notice any changes that are rarely hurt and are much more frequently seen than felt. To develop a regular system of checking the skin for new spots or moles can benefit in the long run.
Process of how to check your skin in the mirror: –
- Always check your entire body even those part of the body that are not exposed to sunlight and even those parts which you are unable to see. For example – soles of the feet, between fingers and toes and under nails.
- Undress completely and make sure you check with good light.
- Use a clean and clear mirror to check hard spots and moles at your back and scalp, or get help of a family member to check it for you.
Diagnosis can be effective if we get to know what to look out for. Here are some symptoms to check
- Look for spots that lack symmetry.
- A spot with a spreading or irregular edge.
- Blotchy spots with a number of colors such as black, blue, red, white or grey.
- Look for spots that are getting bigger.
- Spots that are changing and growing.
- Moles that increases in size.
- An outline of a mole that becomes notched.
- A spot that changes colour from brown to black or is varied.
- A spot that becomes raised or develops a lump within it.
- The surface of a mole becoming rough, scaly or ulcerated.
- Moles that itch or tingle.
- Moles that bleed or weep.
- Spots that look different from the others.
Symptoms of various types of skin cancer
Melanoma
Melanoma is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer and if left untreated can spread to other parts of the body. Appears as a new spot or an existing spot that changes in colour, size or shape and appears on skin that is not exposed to the sun.
Nodular melanoma
Nodular melanoma grows quickly and looks different from common melanomas. It is mostly even in colour and are firm to touch and dome-shaped. Sometimes after a while, they begin to bleed and crust.
Basal cell carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer that is least dangerous but may ulcerate or fail to completely heal. It is usually Red, pale or pearly in color, appears as a lump on dry areas. On body areas they grow slowly that are exposed in sun.
Squamous cell carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma is a skin cancer that has a thickened, red scaly spot that may bleed easily, crust or ulcerate. They grow over some months, on areas that are often exposed to the sun and mostly occur in people over 50 years of age.
Sometimes it is difficult to know whether something on your skin is a harmless mole or a sign of cancer. In such cases you can visit website and get a thorough understanding provides that provides skin cancer prevention lessons and skin cancer workshops that are designed to educate everyone about skin cancer prevention and early detection.
Most skin cancer treatment is done by one of the following three methods:
Mohs micrographic surgery
For many non-melanoma skin cancers, the preferred treatment option is Mohs surgery. It is a procedure, in which a small disc of tissue is removed around the skin cancer and prepared for immediate microscopic evaluation. It provides a high cure rate and removes the cancer while leaving as much normal, healthy skin behind as possible.
Wide-local excision
The doctor surgically removes the entire skin cancer together with a safe border of surrounding normal skin.
Electrodessication and Curettage
For non-melanoma skin cancers, this treatment provides high efficiency rates with minimal scarring. A trained dermatologist will scrape away the cancerous cells using a curette and leave only normal skin behind.
