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SKIN CANCER AND HOW TO SPOT IT FAST

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 According to
recommendations, everyone should practice monthly head-to-toe self examination
of their skin, so that they can find any new or changing lesions that might be cancerous
or precancerous. Skin cancers found and removed early are almost always
curable. To learn about the warnings signs of skin cancer and what to look for
during a self examination if you spot anything suspicious, see a doctor.
Performed
regularly, self examination can alert you to changes in your skin and aid in
the early detection of skin cancer. It should be done often enough to become a
habit, but not so often as to feel like a bother. For most people, once a month
is ideal! but ask your doctor if you should do more frequent checks.
You may find
it helpful to have a doctor do a full-body examination first, to assure you
that any existing spots, freckles, or moles are normal or treat any that may
not be. After the first few times, self examination should take no more than 10
minutes – a small investment in what could be a life-saving procedure.
SHOULD SELF
EXAMINATION BE DONE?
Skin cancer
is the most common of all cancers, afflicting more than two million Americans
each year, a number that is rising rapidly. It is also the easiest to cure, if
diagnosed and treated early. When allowed to progress, however, skin cancer can
result in disfigurement and even death.

WHO SHOULD
DO IT?
You should!
And if you have children, begin teaching them how to, at an early age so they
can do it themselves by the time they are teens. Coupled with yearly skin exams
by a doctor, self-exams are the best way to ensure that you don’t become a
statistic in the battle against skin cancer.
WHEN SHOULD
IT BE DONE?
Performed
regularly, self-examination can alert you to changes in your skin and aid in
the early detection of skin cancer. It should be done often enough to become a
habit, but not so often as to feel like a bother, as stated above. For most
people, once months is ideal, but ask your doctor if you should do more
frequent checks.
You may find
it helpful to have a doctor do a full-body exam first, to assure you that any
existing spots, freckles, or moles are normal or treat any that may not be.
After the first few times, self-examination should take no more than 10 minutes
— a small investment in what could be a life-saving procedure.
WHAT ARE THE
THINGS TO LOOK-OUT FOR?
There are
three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma,
and melanoma. Because each has many different appearances, it is important to
know the early warning signs. Look especially for change of any kind. Do not
ignore a suspicious spot simply because it does not hurt. Skin cancers may be
painless, but dangerous all the same. If you notice one or more of the warning
signs, see a doctor right away, preferably one who specializes in diseases of
the skin.
SOME WARNING
SIGNS TO WATCH-OUT FOR
•           A skin growth that increases in size
and appears pearly, translucent, tan, brown, black, or multicolored
•           A mole, birthmark, beauty mark, or
any brown spot that:
o          changes color
o          increases in size or thickness
o          changes in texture
o          is irregular in outline
o          is bigger than 6mm or 1/4″, the
size of a pencil eraser
o          appears after age 21
•           A spot or sore that continues to
itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode, or bleed
An open sore
that does not heal within three weeks
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