Skin cancer is an especially common type of cancer among individuals in the country. When a cell grows beyond control and in an abnormal way, it forms a mass which is termed as a tumor. The tumors can be benign or malignant. They are categorized under the latter if they invade other surrounding areas because of their uncontrolled growth, leading to cancer. The tumors can travel to other internal organs through the blood and lymph nodes and affect that area. Skin cancer is developed due to this uncontrolled growth of skin cells.

Different types of skin cancer, causes, and symptoms
There are mainly three types of skin cancer. The different types of this disease along with their causes and symptoms are discussed below-

Basal Cell Carcinoma
This is the most common type of skin cancer. This type of cancer is caused due to-

• Over-exposure to direct sun rays
• Indoor tanning

This type of cancer generally occurs in skin areas that come in direct contact with sunrays like the face, neck, or back of the hands. However, they can also appear on the legs, arms, and trunks. People with fair skin are prone to developing this type of cancer. However, it may occur in darker skin as well. Symptoms of this disease are-

• Flesh-colored pearl-like bumps on the skin
• A pinkish patch may appear on the skin.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma
This is also another common type of skin cancer. They can be caused by –

• Direct exposure to sunrays
• Tanning beds

This type of cancer appears on the head, face, neck, the rim of the ear, chest, back as well as back of the hands. They can also appear on areas such as inside of the mouth or genitals. Women may develop this type of cancer on their lower legs. This cancer can spread to other parts of the body. Symptoms of this type of cancer are –

• Red firm bumps on the skin
• Patches with scales might appear on the skin
• The skin may develop sores, which can re-open even after getting healed

Melanoma
This is the most dangerous kind of skin cancer. They develop in the moles or can appear as sudden dark spots in different parts of the skin. One should look for early warning signs of melanoma; otherwise, it can spread to other parts of the body. The warning signs for melanoma are –

• One half of the moles or pigmented spots differs from the other half
• The moles or pigmented spot is surrounded by an irregular or poorly defined border
• The mole or the pigmented spot can appear differently from other spots or can be found changing in terms of color, shape or size
• The moles or the spots has shades of brown or black or can be white, blue or red
• Generally, the melanomas are larger in size, for about more than 6mm. However, they can appear in smaller sizes as well.

Skin cancer if detected at an early stage is curable. However, if left undetected, it can have fatal consequences. Learning about the warning signs of melanoma can prevent it from spreading to other areas and seeking treatment at the first signs.