When it comes to taking care of your skin, you know to check for new moles, moles that change size or color, and skin lesions. But did you know that there are certain types of melanoma symptoms that can be tricky to spot?
Not all melanoma looks the same. While we’ve been taught to look out for dark-colored or pigmented moles, there are a few types of skin cancer symptoms that can fly under the proverbial radar. Take a look at what they are, and how you can spot them during your next skin exam:
• Amelanotic Melanomas: This is a type of melanoma that appears pink in color, almost like a rash; the melanoma appears flat and smooth. If you have a pink rash that’s never responded to anti-fungal or steroid creams, you should schedule an appointment with a skin cancer expert.
• Nodular Melanoma: Have a stubborn pimple that won’t seem to go away? There’s a possibility it might be a nodular melanoma or basal cell skin cancer, as they look just like a pimple.
• Moles with Discoloration: If your mole has a whitish or pinkish color in the middle of it, this could be a sign of skin cancer. You’ll want to carefully track these moles to see if any discoloration changes or expands within the mole.
• Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): This type of basal cell skin cancer can often look like a shiny pink lump, a patch of psoriasis, or fungal infection.
• Infiltrative/Morphoeic BCC: This skin cancer resembles a scar-like lesion; if you don’t remember how you got that scar, and it’s in an area that’s often exposed to the sun, you should contact your doctor right away.
• Pigmented BCC: This type of basal cell skin cancer looks like a discolored mole, which changes colors over time.
• Squamous Cell Carcinoma: This skin cancer usually looks like a scaly lump; however, there are some types that look flat, smooth and pink. Superficial types of this skin cancer can look like a patch of psoriasis or a fungal infection.
Stay in –the-know about your melanoma risks. At Wellcare Medical Centre in Kingston, we specialize in skin cancer and melanoma detection. We use state-of-the-art technology to help diagnose and catch melanoma at its earliest stages, making treatment much more likely to be successful. Contact Wellcare Medical Centre in Kingston today to schedule your skin cancer management consultation.
