Recognizing Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer found in humans and affects millions every year. If it’s caught at an early stage, skin cancer can be treatable and cured. However, many people don’t know how to recognize the signs of skin cancer and it can go untreated for far too long. It’s important that you’re consistently examining your skin and making sure that you visit your dermatologist on a regular basis. Dr. Lynn Anderson, Dr. Kristen Rice, and Dr. Jacqueline Guidry at Midtown Dermatology in Tulsa, OK, can help you learn to recognize skin cancer and start treatment before it gets difficult to deal with.

How to Recognize Skin Cancer

An important step in identifying skin cancer is making sure that you are performing self-evaluations on a regular basis. During a self-evaluation, you should be checking every area of your body and keeping an eye on any irregularities in your skin or on moles. You should have a friend check your back and make sure you aren’t missing any signs of danger. If you notice any irregularities, you should see your dermatologist in Tulsa, OK, as soon as possible to check for skin cancer.

There are different types of cancer that have different but similar symptoms. You might notice a sore that constantly heals and then reopens, pink or pearly white bumps with small, visible blood vessels, or pigmented bumps that resemble moles with a pearly edge to them. Those are all signs of Basal cell carcinoma.

When looking for melanoma, it appears most often in moles. Signs to look for include:

• Asymmetry in the mole
• Color irregularities throughout the mole
• A mole that changes in size, shape, or color
• A mole that bleeds
• Changes in the border of the mole

Contact Your Dermatologist Today

Skin cancer can be treated if it’s caught at an early stage, which is why you should be aware of the signs of skin cancer. Contact Dr. Lynn Anderson, Dr. Kristen Rice, and Dr. Jacqueline Guidry at Midtown Dermatology in Tulsa, OK, to learn more about skin cancer symptoms. Call for more information at (918) 728-3100.