The skin cancer usually develops on the face, scalp, chest, lips, neck, ears, arms, legs and hands. But it can also appear on areas your palms, under fingernails and genital area.
Symptoms of skin cancer are variable and these include changes on the skin that don’t heal. All changes on the skin are not symptoms of skin cancer. If you have any of the symptoms listed below, be sure to consult with your doctor immediately.
Symptoms of skin cancer include:
• A new growth on the skin that is suspicious
• A small spot or mole that is shiny, waxy, and pale in color.
• A sore or spot that bleeds or become crusty and a sore that does not heal
• Scaly patch on the skin.
Skin cancer is divided into two groups: non-melanoma (basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) and melanoma. Symptoms of skin cancer above do not include the symptoms of melanoma skin cancer.
Symptoms of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
Basal cell carcinoma symptoms include:
• A flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion
• An open sore that bleeds, oozes or crusts, and remains open for three or more weeks.
• An irritated area, frequently beginning on the chest, shoulders, arms or legs.
• A smooth growth with an elevated, rolled border and an indentation in the center.
• A pearly or waxy bump
Symptoms of Melanoma Skin Cancer
Early symptoms of melanoma skin cancer have different shape, color or size of existing nevi or moles. Melanoma is often painless and symptoms of melanoma skin cancer include:
• Changes in the size, shape and color, or feel of an existing mole. It may have an irregular outline and it may be more than one color. If you have a mole more than one color in it, you may want to get it examined.
• Most melanomas have a black or blue-black area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal, or “ugly looking.”
• Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips or toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina or anus
• Asymmetrical moles, with an imaginary line, the two halves would not match. The halves have different sizes and shapes.
• Changes in pigmented skin, the skin color around a mole has a significant change.
Melanoma is the most dangerous and deadly type of skin cancer. It can develop on any part of the body (in men most often occurs on the trunk, in women most often found on the arms and lower legs). If symptoms of melanoma skin cancer detected early, it is considered highly treatable.
Symptoms of Squamous Cell Skin Cancer
Squamous cell skin carcinoma usually grows as a tiny, painless patch and the main symptom of squamous cell skin cancer is a growing bump. The bump is small, firm, reddened. The bump is usually located on the face, ears, neck, hands, and arms and may occur on the lip, mouth, tongue, genitals or other areas. Growth may be cone shaped.
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