Education | kitzmillerskincare

Asymmetrical Shape: Melanoma Lesions are usually not symmetrical and irregular in shape.

Border: Melanoma Lesions typically do not have smooth, even borders. They are usually hard to define.

Color: Irregularities in color, such as more than one color, or a darkening of color can be a warning sign of Melanoma.

Diameter: Moles larger than a pencil eraser (6 millimeters or greater) can be a warning sign of melanoma.

Evolution: If you notice a mole changing color, size, and/or shape, call a health care provider as soon as possible. The evolution of a mole can be one of the most important factors indicating Melanoma.

ABCDE's of Melanoma

A skin exam is something not many people think to get. While seeing your regular doctor for a checkup once a year has become routine, it is best to add another annual checkup with a dermatologist. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, kills one person in the United States every hour. With our love of the sun, a skin exam really should not be something we continue to put off.

Basal Cell Skin Cancer (BCC)

Basal Cell Cancer (BCC), is an uncontrolled growth or lesion that arises in the skin’s basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin). BCCs often look like open sores, red patches, pink growths, shiny bumps, or scars. Usually caused by UV exposure, BCC can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow, but almost never spreads (metastastasizes) beyond the original tumor site. Only in exceedingly rare cases can BCC spread to other parts of the body and become life-threatening.
There are an estimated 2.8 million cases of BCC diagnosed in the US each year. In fact, it is the most frequently occurring form of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are BCCs. It shouldn’t be taken lightly: this skin cancer can be disfiguring if not treated promptly.

Squamous Cell Skin Cancer (SCC)

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells arising in the squamous cells, which compose most of the skin’s upper layers (the epidermis). SCCs often look like scaly red patches, open sores, elevated growths with a central depression, or warts; they may crust or bleed. SCC is mainly caused by cumulative UV exposure over the course of a lifetime. It can become disfiguring and sometimes deadly if allowed to grow. An estimated 700,000 cases of SCC are diagnosed each year in the US, resulting in approximately 2,500 deaths.
SCCs may occur on all areas of the body including the mucous membranes and genitals, but are most common in areas frequently exposed to the sun, such as the rim of the ear, lower lip, face, bald scalp, neck, hands, arms and legs. Often the skin in these areas reveals telltale signs of sun damage, such as wrinkling, changes in pigmentation, and loss of elasticity.This skin cancer should get prompt treatment