Fun in the sun has always been the highlight of a great summer, but having too much sun can be problematic. Skin cancer is becoming more and more prevalent amongst all age groups. Factors, besides sun tanning, include: Social (smoking, tanning beds, etc.), environmental (chemical, work related, etc.), and genetic (ethnicity, positive family history, etc.).
Ask yourself, “Have you noticed any changes to your skin?” “Are you seeing pigmented lesions or blemishes that weren’t there before?” “Does anyone in your family have or had skin cancer?” If so, we at Danyo Plastic Surgery can evaluate and determine whether the lesion bothering you is abnormal, suspicious, or benign.
The most types of skin cancer are:
- Basal Cell Carcinoma: Approximately 2.8 million new cases annually. Most common of all skin cancers.
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Approximately 700,000 new cases annually. Second most common skin cancer.
- Malignant Melanoma: Approximately 120,000 new cases annually. Most lethal and serious of all skin cancers.
Pre-cancerous and atypical lesions:
- Actinic Keratosis: Over 58 million people affected. Extensive sun exposure/damage history prevalent. Untreated can convert into Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
- Dysplastic/Atypical Mole: Unusual moles that present as benign but could change over time to more serious condition (i.e. Melanoma). Patients with dysplastic nevus syndrome are 12 times more likely to have Melanoma.
