Skin Cancers
Non-melanoma skin cancer is far more common and much less dangerous than melanoma. Non-melanoma skin cancers include basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas which appear on the skin as bleeding, crusting, non-healing bumps. They tend to be more common on sun-exposed skin, but can occur anywhere on the body. Bumps on the skin that are new and/or fit the description above, should be evaluated by your dermatologist in the office. They can be sampled with a simple skin biopsy, and treated and cured by different methods.
Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes. Melanoma is considered to be the most serious form of skin cancer. If it is recognized and treated early, it is usually 100 percent curable. However, if it is not, melanoma on the skin can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes difficult to treat and can be fatal. The majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin-colored, pink, red, blue, purple or white. One should be suspicious for melanoma if they have an irregularly-shaped mole that is growing or changing noticeably, or that is scabbing or bleeding. As with non-melanoma skin cancers, lesions on the skin that fit the above description should be evaluated by your dermatologist in the office. They usually can be sampled with a simple skin biopsy.
Barnett Dermatology recommends a yearly, full-body skin check, especially for fair-skinned and light-eyed individuals, for individuals with a personal or family history of skin cancer, and for individuals with a history of numerous sunburns.
Learn how to protect yourselves from the sun and how to better detect suspicious spots and skin cancer at http://www.spotskincancer.org
