After soaking up the rays this spring break, now is a great time to learn or get a refresher of information about skin cancer and how to check yourself and others.
Most skin cancers are a direct result of exposure to UV rays in sunlight and some artificial UV sources. Basal and squamous cell cancers, the most common types of skin cancer, are usually found on sun exposed parts of the body and melanoma, a more serious and less common type of skin cancer is also related to sun exposure, through not as strongly.
Basal and squamous skin cancers are found at the base of the outer layer of the skin, named after the types of cells in which they originate. They are most often found on the head, neck, face, ears, lips, arms, and back of hands, which is why it is extra important to put sunscreen on these areas. Basal cell carcinomas are often flat, firm pale areas or are small, raised, translucent, shiny, pearly, pink or red, bumps that may bleed after minor injury. Large basal cell carcinomas may have oozing or crusted areas. Squamous cell carcinomas look like growing lumps that have a rough, scaly, or crusted surface.
Melanoma is a skin cancer that originates in the melanocytes, the cells that produce the skin coloring known as melanin. Melanin is what protects the deeper layers of skin from the harmful effects of the sun. Melanoma often resembles moles and can develop from moles. Most appear black or brown, but can also be skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue, or white. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. If it is caught early, it is almost always curable, but if not, it can easily advance and spread to other parts of the body where is can be hard to treat and may become fatal.
What To Look For
Now that you know the types of skin cancer, here are the usual signs that you should be looking for when you check yourself. The ABCDE Rule is a guide for the usual signs of melanoma. Look for these signals:
A is for Asymmetry. Moles or marks on the skin that are not symmetrical.
B is for Border. Edges are irregular, ragged, notched, blurred, or scalloped.
C is for Color. Area is made up of more than one color.
D is for Diameter. The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across.
E is for Evolving. The mole is changing in size, shape, or color.
Some skin cancers do not fit the usual ABCDE signs. Other warning signs are a sore that does not heal, spread of pigment from the border of a spot to surrounding skin, redness or a new swelling beyond the border, change in sensation, such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain, or a change in the surface of a mole, such as scaling, oozing, bleeding, or appearance of a bump.
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What if I find something suspicious?
Don’t freak out! Schedule an appointment with a dermatologist. Make sure to show them any area that concerns you. If they find anything suspicious, they will do exams and tests.
How to Check Yourself
After a shower, start by facing the mirror. Check your face, ears, neck, chest, arms, and belly. Women should lift their breasts and check the skin underneath – this would also be a good time to do a self-breast exam. Then check your underarm areas, the sides of your arms, the tops and palms of your hands, in between your fingers, and your fingernails. Next, sit down. Check the front of your thighs, shins, tops of your feet, in between your toes, and your toenails. Now use a hand mirror to look at the bottoms of your feet, your calves, and the back of your thighs.
Use the hand mirror to check your butt, genital area, lower and upper back, and the back of your neck and ears. Then, use a comb or hair dryer to part your hair so you can check your scalp. It is best to do this simple exam once a month. The more you get to know your skin, the easier it will be to spot something that is not normal for you.
Please take the 10 minutes each month to perform a skin exam. Early detection is crucial for skin cancer, so do what you can to help protect yourself. And don’t forget, prevention is always easier than treatment – wear sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses when you are out in the sun, and don’t stay out too long!
Sources:
The American Cancer Society
http://www.determinedtocure.com/2012/11/skin-cancer.html
http://previsecare.wordpress.com/tag/self-examination/
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