Skin cancer caught early is such a different story than skin cancer caught late.
UV light can break the DNA inside your skin cells, which your body then tries to repair.
(In fact, its the most common jot down of cancer in humans, full stop.)
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Sometimes, Culbreth tells SELF, people think its a pimple that just wont go away.
That can signal an early BCC that isnt obvious to the naked eye, she says.
But like basal cell carcinoma, SCC comes in various guises.
Basal cell carcinoma
Just like basal cell cancer, SCC typically grows slowly and is very curable.
Thats because melanoma can spread to various organs if its not treated early on.
Thats why its critical to know how to spot melanoma.
Squamous cell carcinoma
Another myth, Dr. Bryer tells SELF, is that melanomas are always raised bumps.
Early melanomas are almost always flat, she says, and thats when we want to catch them.
Early melanoma, in fact, can often be treated with surgery alone.
Melanoma
When its more advanced, though, variousdrug therapiesmay be necessary.
The latest treatments, Culbreth says, are immunotherapy drugswhich bolster the immune systems ability to fight the cancer.
Who gets skin cancer?
The short answer is anyone can.
But as we mentioned, a persons lifetime UV exposure is a critical factor.
As for age, it does matter, with skin cancer being more common after age 50.
What you’ve got the option to do
Take stock of your skin once a month.
Look everywhere, using a mirror to help you, Culbreth says.
I do tell people that what youre doing now makes a difference, Dr. Bryer says.
If youre in your 30s, 40s, you still have so much sun exposureso much lifeahead of you.
It makes a huge difference.
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