12 silent signs of skin cancer you’re probably ignoring

When the weather gets warmer and daylight hours longer, people are more likely to spend time outdoors in the sun. This also means there’s an increased risk for skin cancer. Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, according to cancer.org.au, which account for around 80% of all newly diagnosed cancers. Although common, it’s also the most preventable and curable cancer if caught early. It’s recommended that you do monthly self-check exams from head to toe to look at moles and any other abnormalities on the skin. But aside from monitoring spots throughout your body, there are other subtle signs of skin cancer you may be ignoring.

We asked dermatologists to tell us what skin cancer symptoms people might miss.

While you might focus on brown or dark moles when you think of skin cancer, there are actually several types of skin growths to keep an eye on. The major types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and melanoma. Both BCC and SCC are known as non-melanoma skin cancer or keratinocyte cancers, says Cancer Council Australia.

• BCC is the most common type of skin cancer. It often has no symptoms and tends to grow slowly without spreading to other parts of the body. Symptoms include a pearly lump or a scaly dry area.
• SCC is the second most common form of skin cancer. Symptoms may include thickened red, scaly spots; rapidly growing lump; looks like a sore that has not healed; and may be tender to touch.
• Melanoma is the rarest but the deadliest form of skin cancer. Often melanoma has no symptoms, however, the first sign is generally a change in an existing mole or the appearance of a new spot. Melanoma is projected to be the third most common cancer diagnosed in Australia, which along with New Zealand has the world’s highest incidence rate for melanoma.

The tricky part is recognising trouble, says surgical and cosmetic dermatologist Dr Adele Haimovic. Some melanoma moles can actually be skin-coloured or pink – they’re known as amelanotic melanomas. This kind of melanoma is a challenge to recognise because we’re inclined to think it’s just a harmless bump. That’s why it’s important to have regular skin checks by a dermatologist to look at any skin growths or abnormalities.

Now check out the 10 sneaky places you can get skin cancer (that aren’t on your skin).

If you find yourself bleeding after shaving, it may not be due to clumsiness: “Basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma can bleed after shaving or other minor trauma, and sometimes spontaneously bleed with no known inciting event,” says Dr Haimovic. “This is because skin cancer leaves the skin more fragile than healthy skin.” If you find yourself bleeding in the same spot, get it checked out.

Having a first-degree relative with melanoma approximately doubles an individual’s risk of developing melanoma, according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP). Having relatives who have multiple melanomas or who are diagnosed at a younger age further increases the risk of developing melanoma.

“Basal cell carcinoma may look like a translucent, skin-coloured or pink pimple that does not resolve or recurs in the same spot,” says Dr Haimovic. Usually, pimples go away on their own in two to three weeks; if one sticks around longer than that, it should be evaluated by a dermatologist.

Your skin can also show you signs of what’s happening in other parts of your body.

If you notice a fairly defined, dark vertical line on your fingernail or toenail, you might think you banged the nail. Take a closer look: “If the band has multiple different shades of brown and black, that is a concern. Also, if the width of the band is greater than three millimetres, that is another concerning feature,” says dermatologist Dr Steven Wang. Although there are other causes (such as an injury), a dark vertical line can sometimes be a sign of a melanoma, so make sure to ask your doctor to take a look.

“A reddish- or light-brown-coloured mole in a sea of dark moles is what dermatologists call ‘the ugly duckling sign,’” says Dr Wang. Basically, one of the moles doesn’t belong in the group or doesn’t look like the others, so it could be a sign of melanoma. If you have a dominant mole pattern on your back and it’s disrupted by a darker, larger mole, it could be an ugly duckling sign. Another example: You have two patterns of small and dark moles on your back, but there’s a smaller, pale mole. The only way to confirm if this is a malignant melanoma is to have it checked by a dermatologist.

Psoralen and UV-light treatments (PUVA) are a type of ultraviolet radiation treatment for severe skin conditions such as psoriasis and dermatitis. A previous study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found an increased risk of malignant melanomas 15 years after a patient’s first PUVA treatment. In fact, patients who have had 250 or more treatments have five times the risk of people who have never had PUVA.

There are many forms of human papillomavirus (HPV), with some increasing the risk of cervical cancers. But other kinds of HPV (there are more than 100 in this family of viruses) can cause warts on the skin, often the hands or feet.

It’s thought that these skin wart-causing viruses may also increase the risk of non-melanoma skin cancers. In a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, the participants with antibodies against certain types of HPV had a higher risk of developing non-melanoma skin cancer.

People with weakened immune systems because of disease or certain types of treatment can have a higher risk of skin cancer. HIV/AIDS and lymphoma patients may have an elevated risk, according to the American Cancer Society. This is also true of people who get chemotherapy or other medications that suppress immunity.

You may cover your face, arms and legs with sunscreen, but what about these forget-me-not sunscreen spots?