While it’s always important to have an annual skin cancer screening, in between your appointments with dermatologist Dr. Perri, skin cancers may show telltale signs that something isn’t right. Here is a list of signs and symptoms that you may have skin cancer. If you are showing any or all of these warning signs, it’s important that you schedule an appointment with Dr. Perri at Perri Dermatology ASAP.
- Signs of melanoma skin cancer
While not the most common form of skin cancer, melanoma remains the deadliest form of skin cancer with which you can be diagnosed. Often times, though, melanomas show visual symptoms that residents can self-detect, alerting them that a skin cancer screening is warranted immediately.
Dermatologists like Dr. Perri teach patients to look for the ABCDEs of melanoma, which usually appears as a mole or other skin discoloration:
- Asymmetry
Healthy moles are symmetrical in shape. If you have a mole that is asymmetrical, it’s time for a skin cancer screening with dermatologist Dr. Perri.
- Border
The borders of benign (or non-cancerous) moles are typically smooth. If your mole has jagged or uneven edges, call Perri Dermatology right away.
- Color
Healthy moles come in a variety of colors, but they are typically one solid color. A multi-colored mole may be a warning sign of melanoma skin cancer.
- Diameter
Your average, benign mole is no larger than the size of a pencil’s eraser. If you have a mole with a diameter larger than that, it’s time for a skin cancer screening to determine if the mole is melanoma.
- Evolving
Anytime a mole changes, in any visual capacity, you should have it examined, immediately. A mole that evolves in appearance could be a sign of skin cancer.
- Additional skin cancer warning signs
Melanoma is, by no means the only type of skin cancer that needs to be screened and treated. Other skin cancers present differently. Warning signs you may have skin cancer that isn’t melanoma include having a sore that either never heals, or consistently heals and reopens; noticing that you have pigment spreading from the border of a spot on your skin into the surrounding skin; experiencing redness or new swelling outside of the border of a mole; a change in skin sensation, such as itchiness, pain, or tenderness; or surface changes on a mole, including oozing, bleeding, or a lumpy or bumpy look.
If You Have Any of These Skin Cancer Warning Signs, Don’t Wait for Your Next Annual Skin Cancer Screening to See Dr. Perri
While it’s important for all residents to have their skin checked for skin cancer every year, if you are showing any of the signs listed above, you need to schedule an immediate visit to Perri Dermatology. While skin cancer may be deadly, your odds at surviving are higher the earlier it is detected, removed and treated.
If you suspect you are showing signs of skin cancer, act now. Call Perri Dermatology today at (281) 943-2749 and tell our office staff you need to be seen promptly because you are showing signs of skin cancer.
