Skin cancer- Symptoms, treatment & precautions

The biggest part of our body is the skin which protects and maintains the body temperature. Skin is useful to produce ‘vitamin D’. The skin consists of two layers namely, Epidermis, the upper layer and Dermis the inner layer.

The melanin produced by Melonocites determines the skin colour. Warts are caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV) virus which is infectious. HPV is not cancer causing. Skin tags which don’t cause any trouble should be removed.

The symptoms like change in colour, bleeding of skin tags may seldom lead to skin cancer. Any scars which appear after 20 years of birth, and have improper shape with changes in colour, bleeding etc; may be a doubtful cause for cancer.

The fatty cysts that form with soft tissues in many parts of the body are called Lipoma. Normally they do not cause any concern, but must be taken care of, if these cysts are formed inside parts of body. When they are stony on touching, cyst inside the skin is static like changes are noticed; it is certainly a cause for concern.

Whether it is cyst, or mole, if subjected to changes, bleeding is noticed, should never be neglected. Even cancer cysts do not cause any pain in the initial stage, but may give excruciating pain as they grow, and may also turn tough to be treated.

These cancers are mainly of two types namely, Basal cell carcinoma, Squmous cell carcinoma. These non-melanomaskan cancers are more in USA, South Africa, Australia, notwithstanding they are seen in our country also of late. It is better to undergo tests, if changes in colour of the skin exposed to sun occur unhealed sore and bleeding noticed.

Most of the skin cancers can be cent percent treated with the help of lasers. Depending upon the need, radiation and chemotherapy also can be used .Sometimes skin grafting can also be done, when removed skin more.

Oral application of sunscreen lotions to the sun exposed parts, wearing clothes that fully cover the body, wearing light coloured clothes while going out, using umbrella, cooling glasses, and hats, and nonexposure to sun between 10 am to 3 pm are some of the salient measures to avoid the problem.