OC Skin Institute welcomes patients from Orange County and surrounding areas any time of year for an easy screening and detection for skin cancer. During your appointment we’ll ask about your family health history and demographics as well as look closely at any specific skin lesions or moles that concern you. As part of your skin cancer detection visit, we’ll also carefully look for any cancerous moles or precancerous moles, pointing out those that you should watch carefully, and possibly recommend the simple removal of certain moles for a biopsy.
The importance of skin cancer screening and detection
Skin cancer detection is critical. If we can identify a tumor early when it is still small and has not yet spread, curing the skin cancer can be fast and easy. The longer that skin cancer remains unnoticed, however, the greater the chance it has spread and may be difficult to treat.
Unfortunately, sun damage can begin at an early age. A number of years later, moles and other sun spots may emerge as potential skin cancers. The most common warning signs of skin cancer are:
- New growths on your skin
- A sore that won’t heal
- A noticeable change in the appearance of your skin
The good news is that many patients are excellent candidates for skin cancer treatments, particularly when we detect common types of skin cancer in its early stages. The two most common forms of skin cancer, referred to as non-melanoma skin cancer, are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma which account for more than 90% of all skin cancer in Orange County and the rest of the United States.
Squamous and basal cell carcinoma almost never spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body; they can, however, cause damage by growing and invading the surrounding tissue. Likewise, melanoma, has a high cure rate when detected early, but its outcome is not as favorable without early skin cancer detection and proper skin cancer treatment by a qualified skin cancer specialist. Melanoma, when not caught in its early stage may result in death.
While OC Skin Institute provides you with thorough, experienced skin cancer detection by trained, board certified experts, you can be your own greatest ally in skin cancer detection by paying close attention to your skin and noticing any unusual and possibly precancerous moles.
If you notice any of these signs, contact OC Skin Institute right away to schedule a consultation:
The ABCDE Guide for Skin Cancer Detection
- Asymmetry: When divided in half, the two sides of the mole appear different.
- Border: Edges of the mole are blurry or jagged.
- Color: The mole’s color darkens, spreads, loses color altogether, or changes its appearance to multiple colors such as gray, pink, blue, white, purple or red.
- Diameter: A mole with a diameter of 1/4 inch (6 mm) or larger. (about the size of a pencil eraser)
- Elevation: A mole with an uneven surface or that is raised above the skin.
Contact us today to schedule a skin cancer screening appointment with Dr. Nakhla and OC Skin Institute. A yearly appointment for skin cancer detection and precancerous mole examination is a simple screening tool that could save your life.
