Skin Cancer Warning Signs You Should Know

Although the skin goes through seasonal changes such as tanning due to sun exposure, moles changing their shapes, or rapid skin color change could be a subtle sign of melanoma. Picking out a sign of skin cancer is difficult, making it impossible for patients to get an early diagnosis. However, you should find a Bowling Green pediatric dermatology expert who will educate you on the warning signs of skin cancer. These are the skin changes that might indicate the occurrence of skin cancer; they might make it possible to have an early diagnosis.

Moles Which Change in Appearance

Moles are normal, occurring in healthy skin, but they don’t change their appearance over time. However, if your moles have an irregular circumference and changes in shape and color, it could show something is not right. You would know the lesion is cancerous if the mole does not have matching haves, meaning one half will be bigger or smaller than the other. Again, if the border is not clear, forming a ragged and blurred border shows it is spreading to the nearby skin. A spreading mole might be melanoma since it is infringing the skin, thus spreading, a normal mole does not spread and has a distinct border. Again, a normal mole has a distinct color, but melanoma-related moles have uneven colors and would change their color from time to time.

Evolving Moles

New moles might be a sign of skin cancer; again, strange patches on the skin and unclear changes might show signs of unidentified melanoma. You can have a dermatologist inspect emergent moles to determine if they are normal moles. Again, if the emerging moles stick above the skin, they would be cancerous. Moles that are hard to touch and those which are increasingly growing in size might be melanoma.

Nail and Toe Changes

Although skin cancer can occur in any part of the skin, it might occur in your nails. The nail melanoma might cause dark spots and streaks below the nail. Thus you should inspect your nails and note any changes. Again, even if you apply nail polish often, you would inspect the nails before applying the nail polish. If there are dark spots on the nails, you should see a dermatologist and ensure the nails are free of nail polish when going for a medical examination.

Pimples and Sores

Melanoma may appear like pink or red bumps on the skin and would like pimples that do not go away with treatments. Your pimples should disappear with time, and if you notice one which is resistant and does not go away on its own, you should see a dermatologist. The skin cancer might appear like sores and ulcers, which do not heal.

Impaired Vision

You are least likely to think of your vision problems as melanoma-related, but skin cancer can affect your eyes. The melanoma might be difficult to notice until the late stages, and you should see a doctor if you have increased squiggly floater cells which move in front of your vision or when you develop a blurry vision.

Final Thoughts

Skin cancer might be difficult to single out as it has subtle symptoms. However, if you have moles that change over time, you should see a doctor. Again, you should check your nails and vision to detect early signs of skin cancers. Good luck dealing with skin cancer.