Our body has its own regenerative properties. Every time we bleed, have an injury or go through an accident, our body helps us heal through various mechanisms. Even on a general basis, the cells in our body die and regenerate periodically. Cancer occurs when cells start differentiating and accumulating abnormally. Cancer can affect most parts of the body. When the abnormal growth happens with the skin cells, the consequence is a skin cancer.
Skin cancer usually develops in the region of skin which is exposed to the sun. People with lighter skin color can be affected by the sun and get sunburnt easily. And thereby, skin cancer can also easily develop in people of lighter skin color or people with greater skin sensitivity than compared to people of other skin colors.
Out of the various skin cancers, the different types of skin cancers are broadly divided into three categories:
- Basal cell carcinoma
Known to be the most common type of skin cancer, this cancer appears in flesh color and looks similar to a pearl-like bump. The patch of skin can turn into a type of pink color. As mentioned earlier, while fairer skin people can be more prone to this, even people with a dark complexion can get affected. This type of cancer develops after long years of indoor tanning or continuous skin exposure. The most common areas affected by this type of cancer are the head, arms, and neck. Cancer can also occur on the abdomen, chest or legs and other parts of the body too.
- Squamous cell carcinoma
After basal cell carcinoma, the second most common type of skin cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. This type of cancer can develop as a scaly patch, a sore which constantly heals and reopens, or a firm red bump. Regions of the skin which are constantly exposed to the sun and for longer durations are the areas where this cancer would mostly form. These areas would include rim of the neck, ear, face, back, chest, and arms. This cancer can move to deeper layers in the skin and cause severe damage. Finding any abnormalities related to this cancer at an early stage can help in preventing cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
- Melanoma
This is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It starts off by developing within a mole or builds into a new dark spot on the surface of the skin. The spots that develop because of melanoma are asymmetrical with a very irregular and poorly defined border. The color of the spot would differ in different regions. For instance, the spot can see a range of brown colors faded into one another. The diameter of the spots developed through melanoma is usually at least of 6mm diameter. And these spots always evolve in size, shape, and color. These signs can help in detecting melanoma faster.
Cancer, as terrifying as it is even in its initial stages, has the capability of metastasizing to other organs of the body and would become difficult to manage at that point. Detecting these cancers at the earliest stage possible is of importance to prevent this from happening.
