There are many variations of cancer, and what makes it difficult to diagnose is that symptoms can often be masked and hidden. Fortunately, skin cancer is actually one of the easier cancers to detect. Skin cancer is also one of the more common cancers that many suffer from. If you are able to detect symptoms that manifest themselves early, you can help prevent the issue from getting exacerbated.
First, you must understand that skin cancer can form anywhere on your body. It can form inside your mouth, behind a fingernail or on the soles of your feet. The best way to discover if you have skin cancer is to do a thorough examination of yourself and also seek medical help. Any spots that you have on your skin should be inspected. While you may not know what it specifically looks like, or if you should confuse it for acne, you can always see a dermatologist, who will be able to give you a better understanding of how frequently you should check your skin, what skin cancer looks like, and what interventions you can take in order to halt its development.
There is also the “ABCDE” rule that is commonly used. This stands for Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter and Evolving. Asymmetry refers to a spot on the skin that does not match the other. Spots with misshapen, irregular borders are common with cancer. Spots that are also inconsistent with your regular skin color and larger than 1/4 of an inch across in diameter are a cause for concern. These could be signs of cancer and should be checked out as soon as possible.
It is important to note that you can feel relatively healthy but still be developing skin cancer. Skin cancer can sometimes be painful, but more often than not, any spots that you see on the skin that are cancerous are generally not painful to the touch or would hamper activities of daily living. However, if you do notice a suspicious spot that was not there before, see our dermatologist at Steele Creek Dermatology as soon as possible. Contact us today to book a consultation in Charlotte.
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