If these "strange things" grow on your skin, it's skin cancer! Huaxi doctors teach you how to identify

On our skin

There are some problems more or less

for example

Rough skin

The pores are a bit large

Too dark

We can forgive this.

But if suddenly one day

Some strange things have grown on my skin.

For example, a black mass that suddenly grows bigger and becomes strange

Everyone must be alert!

Image source: provided by the doctor

This could be skin cancer.

The most terrible malignant melanoma

In addition to moles

Some elderly friends have

Suddenly some strange spots appeared

It could also be skin cancer!

That's the problem.

These symptoms are so deceptive.

How can we identify skin cancer on our own?

Judging from the pictures, if these signs suddenly appear on your skin and grow quickly, you should be careful!

Image source: provided by the doctor

In addition, you need to observe more and remember the two tips of "look" and "touch":

Take a look: Skin cancer tends to appear on sun-exposed areas, often appearing as reddish-brown or dark-brown patches on the face, bald areas of the head, lower lips, neck, and limbs.

Feel it: Skin cancer may have dry, flaky, or slightly raised patches on the surface.

If you suspect you have skin cancer, it is recommended that you go to the hospital as soon as possible and have a dermatoscope .

Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, two less aggressive cancers, can recover well if detected and treated early.

If it is a more serious melanoma, due to its high degree of malignancy, long-term anti-cancer treatment will have to be carried out.

Pay attention to sun protection! Pay attention to sun protection! Pay attention to sun protection!

I've said this many times, but I still want to remind everyone that no matter whether you're applying sunscreen or physical sunblock, you should cover up those areas that are easily exposed to the sun.

Also note that chronic inflammation and traumatic scars on the skin must be treated promptly. They may also be the trigger that slowly develops into skin cancer, so you must be on guard!

Skin cancer cases are increasing

We often hear about cancers with higher incidence rates such as lung cancer, colorectal cancer, liver cancer, and stomach cancer, but skin cancer should not be underestimated, as the number of people suffering from it is increasing!

Data from the World Health Organization show that in 2020 alone, more than 1.5 million new cases of skin cancer were detected worldwide, and more than 120,000 people died from the disease.

Skin cancer is not easy to detect

Skin cancer is really not easy to detect. It may appear as a mole or a spot. Some are hidden on the scalp or on the back of the head. If you are not careful, it may have already metastasized and spread.

Melanoma, a more aggressive form of skin cancer, can be life-threatening if not treated promptly.

Therefore, everyone should be aware of skin cancer.

In addition, according to current statistics, middle-aged and elderly men are more likely to develop skin cancer than women, so they need to pay special attention.

Risk factors for skin cancer that you may often encounter

As mentioned earlier, the main risk factor for skin cancer is ultraviolet radiation . If you do not pay attention to sun protection and often stay in the sun, you will increase your risk of skin cancer.

But in addition to this, long-term exposure to carcinogenic chemicals, chronic inflammation, viral infections and other factors may also cause skin cancer.

From these perspectives, pay more attention to prevention!

In short, if there is something wrong with your skin, don't just leave it unchecked, get it checked and treated if necessary, so that it doesn't end up in big trouble.

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts collaborating on this article

References

[1] Wan Chunlei. Pathogenesis of skin cancer and its differences in incidence in different populations[J]. Bulletin of Dermatology, 2022, 39(03): 173-176+1.

[2] Xu Lili, Zhang Licheng, Tian Xue, et al. Epidemiological study of hospitalized patients with skin cancer in China[J]. Chinese Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine, 2020, 20(11): 1280-1283.

[3]Qiu Jin, Huang Jingyang, Xu Songfeng, et al. Advances in the treatment of cutaneous malignant melanoma[J]. Gansu Medicine, 2023, 42(11): 969-971+983.DOI:10.15975/j.cnki.gsyy.2023.11.003.

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty