Skin Cancer Specialist

What should you know about skin cancer?

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. Skin cancer is one of the most diagnosed forms of cancer. If caught early enough, most types are 100 percent curable. There are three major types of cancer you should be aware of:

• Basal cell carcinoma
• Squamous cell carcinoma
• Melanoma

Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer. Part of skin cancer services includes an examination of your skin looking for abnormal growths or other potential cancer markers.

Does tanning and the sun cause skin cancer?

Tanning, or exposure to the UV rays of the sun, is the most likely cause of skin cancer. People with light skin are more prone to it, because they have less pigmentation to protect skin cells from that damage.

Are moles a sign of skin cancer?

Moles are normal. Everyone has a few of them. Most are round, smooth and evenly colored. It is the moles that look abnormal that might indicate cancer. These moles are not necessarily cancerous, but they have the potential to turn into cancer. Things to look for include:

• Irregular shapes
• Notched or fading borders
• A pebbly surface
• Mixed coloring that includes pink or red
• Large size – over one quarter of an inch

These are moles you want to point out to your doctor for evaluation, but any mole that changes suddenly is suspect. The doctor can use a device called a MelaFind to scan a lesion or mole to determine if there are cancerous cells and excise them if necessary.