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5 Skin Cancer Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore

Your skin is the body’s primary defense against all forms of environmental elements and infections. But as it protects the body, it takes on continuous physical battering causing it to wear out. One primary irritant is the sun’s ultraviolet rays, and since it isn’t easy to avoid sunlight throughout your day, you should prioritize skincare. If you fail to take care of the skin, you can be affected by various forms of skin cancer, melanoma being one of them.

Luckily, skin cancer can be seen and treated, but the key to successful treatments is early detection. Consider visiting a dermatologist when you see any of these early signs.

1. Red Skin Patches


Seeing red patches of irritated skin on various parts of your body should signify something is wrong. If the patches are peeling off, appear like dry skin, or make you scratch your skin, you may have a form of skin cancer.
The body’s immune system reacts to cancerous cells because they’re strange. This reaction leads to inflammation, redness, or scaling on the skin when you have patches. If the patches don’t clear for some time or appear to be increasing, have a dermatologist examine them to get a reliable diagnosis. This way, you will get treatment before your skin turns reddish.

2. Strange Sores


If a skin patch pops up on your skin and it keeps growing larger by the day, you may need a skin specialist to check it out. This is often true if the sore color also changes or doesn’t go away no matter what you do. Compare the sores with any other kinds of skin growths and if they look different, inform your skin expert. The earlier they check it, the better, so the infection doesn’t spread.

3. Painless Lump


One rare skin cancer you shouldn’t overlook is Merkel cell carcinoma. It’s severe and can spread fast throughout the body within a short period. The condition manifests on the skin as a painless lump that could be purple or red. The lumps often appear on the arms, legs, and face before spreading to other body parts.

Since the lumps are painless, you may opt to overlook this skin problem. This is detrimental because the bumps grow fast and will spread. If you see these painless lumps, see a dermatologist for a check-up before the lumps grow larger.

4. Bleeding Moles


Having noticeable moles on your skin is one thing, and it might not be a bother. However, if the moles start bleeding or oozing out, and you didn’t touch or pierce them, it could be a symptom of melanoma. Make sure you schedule an appointment with your dermatologist for an assessment.

5. Mole Regrowth


Once you undergo a successful mole removal procedure, the area should heal adequately over time. You shouldn’t see any form of pigmentation spreading outside the scarred area. If you do, seek medical help from a skin specialist immediately.

You should be apprehensive each time you undergo mole removal, as the cancerous cells may still find a way to change and progress. There is a high probability the treatment you got didn’t work. You’ll need advanced treatment to deal with the mole regrowth.

Everyone needs to be constantly cautious about their skin’s health. Any strange or new growths or moles should raise alarms, mainly if you don’t get annual dermatological check-ups that catch skin conditions in advance.

 To know more details about skin cancer warning signs, or consult an expert about other skin health matters in detail, contact us at East Carolina Dermatology and Skin Surgery, PLLC, today. Our dermatologists have assisted thousands of patients in conquering different skin-cancer-related conditions and other skin diseases and they will help you too.

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