Grey said that the three common types of skin cancer include basal skin cancer which is a colored growth or a pearl-like bump. It can be seen as a pinkish patch on the skin.
Squamous cell cancer looks like a red dot scale or small wounds that heal for a long period of time only to come back again.
The third, melanoma, can be a mole or a new mole growth on the skin that changes in size, shape, and color.
Skin cancer is spotted by physicians using the ABCDE of skin cancer. The mole is Asymmetrical because the size is not equal- one part is long and the other is short.
The Border is irregular and the edges are blurred while the color could be brown and light brown to black.
The Diameter is more than six millimeters or bigger than a Mongol pencil eraser and Evolution, which means that a particular mole is different from other normal moles. It could be a new growth having different forms and colors.
She said prolonged sun exposure is the main cause of skin cancer but risk factors like genes, smoking, high-risk behavior, and lifestyle may contribute to the development of the disease.
To prevent skin cancer, Dr. Grey recommends the 5S of sun protection. These are- Slit on a shirt, long sleeve, pants, and a hat; Slop on a sunblock or sunscreen with more than 30 Sun Protection Factor (SPF); Slap on a wide-brimmed hat; Slide on a sunglass and seek Shade avoiding exposure during hot hours usually from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
She said one should see a doctor if his or her skin has a new patch that may have multiple colors, a wound, or a new mole that grows fast, itchy, and bleeds.
“Early detection is key to recovery from skin cancer,” she said. (AAL/Lljr/PIA 6 Negros Occidental)
