Five Signs of Skin Cancer
Bad News You Have One of Them!

The five signs of skin cancer being present in the body can be seen in detail on the Internet or you can ask your doctor about them. There are probably more than five but these are the main signs you need to know. Bad news is when your doctor says you have one of the signs.

You also have just found out that your skin cancer is directly linked to you spending too much time in the sun. The doctor says that all that tanning you had been doing at the beach without sunscreen is probably the cause of the skin cancer showing up. Which of the five signs of skin cancer do you have?

Is This You?

If you fit this scenario then you know which of the signs you have, and are adjusting to the fact of having cancer. But for many others they do not know what these 5 signs are. Let's look at them and see what they are.

Description of the Signs

Some visible change in your skin should make you take notice. This is a major characteristic for skin cancer being present. It could be a change in a mole or spot you have had for awhile, a growth that is new, or a sore that won't seem to heal.

Not all skin cancers have similar physical characteristics. The five signs of skin cancer as far as changes in your skin to look for are:

* A small lump that is pale, smooth, shiny, or waxy.

* A lump that is red and firm.

* A lump or a sore that forms a scab, gets crusty, or bleeds.

* A red flat spot on the skin, which is dry, scaly, or rough that is tender or itches.

* Brown or red patch of skin, which is scaly and rough.

Always keep watch on your skin to see if anything new pops up. Just remember that not all changes are cancer but they merit being checked out by a doctor just to be sure. Skin cancer very seldom has pain associated with it.

How to Minimize Your Risk

By taking care of your skin you can minimize the risk of having skin cancer. This means wearing sun protection or uv protection when you are outdoors doing an activity.

Overly exposing your skin is the leading cause of skin cancer but there can be other factors that help cause it too. Heredity can play a big part too, if your family has a history of skin cancer you could be at higher risk for getting it.

So now you know the five signs of skin cancer and how to spot them. You also know how to minimize your risk of getting it too.

Remember always to protect yourself from the sun by wearing uv protection. Skin cancer should not be thought of lightly. It can range from fairly simple to get rid of to life threatening depending on which kind you have, so take it seriously.

Join in and share your experience or story. How?
Simply click here to go to Skin Cancer Encounters and Survival Stories






Return to Home Page Return to the Top