What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer & skin cancer symptoms are very common. People who are exposed to a lot of sunlight are at a higher risk of getting skin cancer because the sunlight causes damage to the cells and nucleus cells which then becomes infected.If you have family members with a history of skin cancer,the possibility of you getting skin cancer is also higher because your genes determine whether you will develop cancer or not.

The Three Main Types of Skin Cancer:

• Basal cell carcinoma;
• Squamous cell carcinoma;
• Melanoma

The basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma are usually not pigmented (meaning that they are not black or brown) but a melanoma may appear in one of those two colours.

Let’s look at each type of skin cancer in more detail..

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma grows slowly and eventually destroys the tissue.It can also be very disfiguring because it grows bigger and bigger and it eats away the tissue if not treated timeously.It may also appear as a portion of skin that is raised and shiny.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma can spread rapidly and there is no explanation for why this is. It is caused by years of x-rays and ultraviolet radiation.Squamous cell carcinoma presents itself as a scaly topped lump that does not want to heal and keeps appearing in the same form.

Melanoma

Melanomas are the killers because, if not treated in time it will kill you.One of the signs of a melanoma is a pigmented lesion that can vary in size,shape and colour. Between 20% and 30% of melanomas develop from moles, however, melanomas can develop anywhere on the body.

Lighter skinned people who spend lots of time in the sun swimming, surfing, jogging etc are at a higher risk of getting skin cancer as well as people who have a poor immune function because having a poor immune function stops the body from fighting abnormal cells.

Skin Cancer Treatment

Basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma can often be medically treated if not, it has to be surgically removed. Melanoma can be easily detected and removed.

The good news about skin cancer is that the earlier it is identified and dealt with,the better your chances are of getting rid of it completely.

Preventing Skin Cancer

Skin cancer can be prevented in the following ways:

• Avoid spending too much time in the sun;
• Wear clothing that covers areas of the skin that are exposed to sunlight;
• Put sunscreen on areas of the skin that have high exposure to the sun and repeat it regularly during the day (especially if swimming)
• With Mole Mapping.

For advanced skin cancer detection and prevention, there is no better “tool” than mole mapping….

What is Mole Mapping?

Mole mapping is another way of preventing skin cancer before it spreads by monitoring the growth of the lesion over a period of time.It is specifically designed to check out the pigmented spots or “moles” on your skin.

How Does Mole Mapping Work?

A high resolution camera which is connected to a computer is used to take pictures of your moles or any skin lesions that you may have and magnifies it on a screen,and a special computer program shows how big or small the mole or lesion is and the different structures of the lesion. The computer program uses an A-E requirement to determine if the lesion is malignant or not.

Let’s take a look at these “A – E Requirements”…

(Image courtesy of the American Academy of Dermatology)

What Are The A-E Requirements?

A-Is for assymetry (one half of the lesion looks different than the other half of the lesion)
B-Is for irregular,blurred or jagged borders
C-Is for colour variation
D-Is for diameter, larger than 6mm
E-Is for elevation, especially if uneven

What you can expect when you book a mole mapping appointment with us..

Mole Mapping Procedure and Costs

Phone our office (031 763 4738) to book a mole mapping appointment.

Come in for your consultation on the date arranged.

During your mole mapping consultation, the doctor will “map” (take pictures of) your moles, which will be kept on file together with your details (for example, your name and date of birth)

The mole mapping appointment usually takes 30 minutes and costs R1227.

Please note: You will have to return for a second mole mapping appointment after 6 months. During the second appointment, the doctor will “map” your moles again and compare the results to the first set of pictures to see if there are any changes in the size, shape and colour of your moles. Depending on the results, the doctor will inform you whether there are moles which may have to be removed and what the costs for doing this will be.

Very Important: If your skin resembles any unusual sightings then seek medical advice at your nearest skin doctor before its too late. You can book a mole mapping appointment right here or call our office on: 031 763 4738 to get more information)

Do you have questions about skin cancer or mole mapping? Please use the comments section below to get help.