Anti Aging Skin Care » Skin Cancer » Symptoms of Skin Cancer

Symptoms of Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a malignant growth on the skin, which is generally noticeable in the form of a growth, an irritation or sore that does not have a cure. A change in a wart or mole can also be a sign of skin cancer. Despite the fact that the cancer can affect any and every person in this world, people with fair skin, that freckles easily, are at a greater risk. If fair skinned people have blue or light-colored eyes and red or blonde hair, the chances of getting skin cancer increases further. In order to make sure that the cancer does not become life threatening, it is essential to detect its symptoms at the early stages, diagnose it on time and get the treatment done as soon as possible.

Skin Cancer Warning Signs:

Non-melanoma Skin Cancer:
Nonmelanoma skin cancer develops slowly, over a period and destroys nearby tissues. It mostly results due to excess exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. As the growth of this cancer is slow, it is possible to detect it at an early stage and undergo treatment, which involves removing it either with surgery or by freezing.

The symptoms of this type of skin cancer are:

• Change in the skin, such as a growth
• An irritation or sore that does not heal
• A change in a wart or mole

Basal Cell Carcinoma:
Basal cell skin carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that not only attacks normal skin tissue, but also damages deeper tissues, such as muscles and bones, in turn affecting the appearance of the skin. At first, this cancer grows quite slowly and does not spread to other body parts. However, in case of degeneration, it may grow faster and cause more tissue damage. It mostly affects light-skinned people while it is rarely observed in those with a dark complexion. Though the symptoms of Basal cell cancer can differ, they mostly include skin changes like:

• Red, tender, flat spot that bleeds easily
• Small, bump with a smooth, pearly appearance (often with an indentation in the middle)
• Smooth, shiny bump with change in its size, shape, or color
• A bump that irritates, bleeds, crusts over and then repeats the cycle
• Scar-like patch of skin, mostly on the face, that is firm to the touch
• Pearly bump with tiny blood vessels, in a spider-like look

Squamous Cell Carcinoma:
Squamous Cell Carcinoma is amongst the least common ones of all the skin cancer types. It also involves a sluggish cancerous growth, which often develops in injured or diseased skin areas and is usually disfiguring in nature. It is much further invasive than basal cell carcinoma and can spread from the scalp, ears, eyelid, nose, or lips to other areas of the body.

The symptoms of this type of skin cancer are:

• Skin growth that looks like a wart
• Persistent, firm, red bump on sun-exposed skin
• Patch of skin feels scaly, bleeds, or develops a crust, which may get bigger over a period of months and form a sore
• Sore that does not heal
• An area of thickened skin on the lower lip