Protect Yourself with Regular Skin Cancer Checks

Like all cancers, skin cancer can be treated more effectively when it is caught early. But what makes skin cancer different is that it is considerably easier to detect than most cancers – if you do your part.

Regular skin checks offer an effective early-warning system against all forms of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. It is important that you keep track of any changes to your skin. But annual – or more frequent for higher-risk patients – screenings by a dermatologist offer your best option for detection and early diagnosis.

What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer tends to be a slow-developing condition that occurs when skin cells begin to grow abnormally, forming tumors. This commonly occurs when cellular DNA is damaged after your skin is exposed to ultraviolet radiation – a particularly important risk factor for people living in sunny Florida.

Anyone can get skin cancer. But there are factors, other than sun exposure, that can increase your risk. Those include:

• Lighter skin color
• Skin that burns, freckles or reddens easily
• Blond or red hair
• Numerous moles of a certain type
• Family history of skin cancer
• Older age

Detecting skin cancer on your own can be a challenge, since the disease comes in many varieties. A skin cancer growth may or may not be tender, itchy or painful. The biggest thing to watch for is change: Is a mole getting bigger? Has the texture changed? Is the color shifting? Is it irritated or itchy? Is it bleeding, without healing?

Any of these changes should prompt a visit to your doctor. But even after you bring it your doctor’s attention, it will require a microscopic examination to verify if it is cancer.

Screening Time

The thought of going to dermatologist for a full-body screening can be daunting. Some of that trepidation comes from the unknown, so let’s take a look at what you can expect.

The screening will take place in a quiet room, with just you, the doctor and a chaperone to make sure you are comfortable. Before the screening begins, you will be asked to remove your clothes, though you can keep your underwear on if you prefer. You will wear a full gown during the exam.

As the exam progresses, your doctor will move the gown around to expose only the section of skin being observed. You won’t be standing there naked and exposed. The head-to-toe examination should take 10 minutes or less.

If your doctor notices any suspicious moles or spots, they can be examined under a magnifying device. If necessary, a small sample of tissue will be collected for further lab testing.

Helping Yourself

Most skin cancers are slow to develop, which makes them highly curable if you don’t let them grow unchecked. An early diagnosis can have a significant impact on how your cancer is treated and your overall health outlook.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common skin cancer, with an estimated 4 million cases diagnosed each year in the U.S. The cancer forms in the outermost layer of skin, but rarely spreads. Still, the longer you wait for treatment, the greater your potential for scarring or disfigurement.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common form of skin cancer, with an estimated 1.8 million cases diagnosed each year. When caught early, these tumors are easy to treat. But if neglected, they can lead to disfigurement and even death if the cancer spreads to other parts of your body.

Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. The disease is relatively rare, with about 210,000 cases diagnosed each year. Yet it is the deadliest of skin cancers, killing more than 10,000 people in the U.S. each year.

One in five people in this country will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70. Fortunately, the disease should have little impact on your life, as long as you are proactive with screenings and early treatment.