How Do I Know If I Have Skin Cancer?
Unless patients have a family member or friend who has had a skin cancer, when they first develop skin cancer, it catches them "off guard". No one suspects that a pimple that doesn't go away or spontaneous bleeding on a towel might be skin cancer. Yet, we hear this almost daily from the people who are newly diagnosed with skin cancer. In addition to a non-healing or bleeding area on the skin, it may be flat, or it may be a bump. It may be pink, red, white, brown or black. It may be crusting, rough or cyst-like. Any change in color, shape, size, or symptoms (itching, numbness, bleeding, etc) can suggest skin cancer. Skin cancer may grow quickly, or more commonly it grows so slowly that change may be hard to detect. If you suspect skin cancer, have the growth or area checked by a professional.