Skin cancers are sneaky and can come in many unlike guises, making them hard to identify with the naked eye.

However, self-skin checks remain an of import weapon in the battle against pare cancer and there are some distinguishing features that every North Queenslander should be aware of when looking at their pare spots.

Yous should exist on the lookout man for:
Sores that won't heal within a few weeks
New skin spots especially if they stand out or wait and experience different to others you take
Spots that are changing in size, colour or shape

If you're afterward more detail we've compiled a quick reference guide to different types of skin cancer below.

Identifying Basal Prison cell Cancers (BCC)

BCCs are the most mutual class of pare cancer and occur on the lord's day-exposed areas of the body. They are the least dangerous; however they will become increasingly aggressive the longer they are left untreated.

Color:
BCCs are can be pink or pearly white and may have visible blood vessels; they can also look like dark-brown or bluish moles; or announced equally slightly scaly ruddy spots.

Appearance:
The appearance of BCCs can range from pocket-size bumps or flat spots to open up sores or scars.

Sensation:
BCCs are often quick to bleed, can crusade discomfort and irritation and may look similar sores that fail to heal after a few weeks.

The requite-away:
BCCs tend to bleed easily and tin can cause irritation when yous sweat or take a hot shower. If you find a skin spot bleeds when you castor it our dry off with a towel, or if it's causing yous any irritation, nosotros recommend seeing a qualified pare cancer doctor to have it identified and treated, if necessary.

Identifying Squamous Cell Cancer (SCCs)

Most SCCs are caused past chronic sun exposure and most commonly appear on the face up, arms and beneath knee. While well-nigh SCCs are not serious, it is important they be treated to prevent the possibility of them spreading to lymph nodes.

Colour:
SCCs are frequently pare coloured with thick adherent calibration just more ambitious subtypes tin can also announced equally cerise lumps or ulcers that drain hands.

Advent:
SCCs are typically rough, scaly and raised. They can look like warts, persistent scaly carmine patches or open up sores

Sensation:
SCCs are prone to crusting and bleeding and can be quite painful if knocked or bumped.

The give-away:
If you lot detect a rapidly growing or irresolute sore or raised spot – specially in an expanse that has experienced regular or extreme sun exposure, nosotros recommend seeing a qualified peel cancer specialist as presently as possible.

Read more almost SCCs here (link to SCC folio)

Identifying Melanoma

Melanomas are quite possibly the trickiest of the three as they tin come in a variety of guises developing in normal looking skin or(less commonly) in existing moles).

Color:
Melanomas tin be blackness, chocolate-brown, tan, pink, crimson, gray, blue or even skin coloured.

Appearance:
Melanomas can be flat or raised with a shine, crusted or ulcerated surface.

Sensation:
Melanomas tin sometimes exist itchy, but more frequently than there volition be no sensation (similar crawling or hurting), especially if they are still in the early, curable stages.

The requite-away:
Melanomas tin change colour size or shape over weeks or months. If yous notice rapid changes to a spot on your skin, nosotros recommend having a medical skin check every bit soon as possible to properly identify the spot and treat it if necessary.

Recall, no-ane knows your pare like you practice. If you notice any changes in your peel or peel spots that cause business organization, it is of import to seek the advice of an accredited skin cancer specialist for proper diagnosis and treatment. There are also options for clinical trials, with eighteen trials currently bachelor for peel cancer, including ones aimed at targeted therapies and immunotherapies. Yous tin can find out more than hither.

At Peel Repair Pare Cancer Dispensary our purpose is to ease the burden of skin cancers for North Queenslanders and help preclude loss of life to melanoma.