Skin cancer
Alternative Names
Cancer - skin
Symptoms
Skin cancers may have many different appearances. They can be small, shiny, waxy, scaly and rough, firm and red, crusty or bleeding, or have other features. Therefore, anything suspicious should be looked at by a physician. See the articles on specific skin cancers for more information.
Here are some features to look for:
- Asymmetry: one half of the abnormal skin area is different than the other half
- Borders: irregular borders
- Color: varies from one area to another with shades of tan, brown, or black (sometimes white, red, blue)
- Diameter: usually (but not always) larger than 6 mm in size (diameter of a pencil eraser)
- Any skin growth that bleeds or will not heal
Use a mirror or have someone help you look on your back, shoulders, and other hard-to-see areas.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by
URAC, also known as the American
Accreditation HealthCare Commission. URAC's accreditation program is
the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and
accountability, verified by independent audit.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2005 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.