Skin Cancer Information

Actinic Keratosis

Genetics plays a role as the condition is more common in people with light skin types.
Chronic sun exposure, especially for people who live in very sunny climates, such as Orange County.

They can appear in various sizes and shapes.
Scaly red bump.
Lesions can feel like rough spots on the skin that don’t seem to heal completely.
Usually painless and the frequency increases with age.

Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
Wear sun protective clothing.
Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater. Reapply throughout the day.
Avoid tanning beds.

The most common cancer (overall) and type of skin cancer in humans.
An estimated 4.3 million cases are diagnosed in the US each year.
Can be low risk (superficial and nodular) to high risk (infiltrating or morpheaform).

Genetics - It is more likely in people with light skin and a family history of skin cancer.
Environment - It is associated with the number of sunburns one has had, so chronic sun exposure poses a higher risk. This is especially true if you live in a sunny climate or spend a lot of time outdoors.
Age - It is more common in people over the age of 50.

The spots are usually pink, pearly bumps that occur on sun exposed skin (although they can still occur on any part of the body, including the groin).
They often appear as pimples that occasionally bleed.
They can come and go but get progressively larger.
They sometimes develop a shallow hole in the center with small blood vessels on their surface.

Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
Wear sun protective clothing.
Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater. Reapply throughout the day.
Avoid tanning beds.
More than 2 people die of skin cancer every hour.
When treated early, there can be excellent results.
Left untreated, these lesions can be severely disfiguring or even fatal.

Genetics - light colored eyes or hair, freckles, inability to tan, personal or family history of skin cancer, having many moles
Environment - living in sunny climates (such as Orange County), participating in long duration outdoor activities (golf, tennis, surfing, etc.)
Personal - history of multiple sunburns

Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
Wear sun protective clothing.
Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater. Reapply throughout the day.
Avoid tanning beds.
Get regular skin checks
Atypical moles can indicate a higher risk of melanoma

A deadly form of skin cancer that can affect anyone. If left untreated, it can be life threatening by spreading (metastasizing) to other parts of the body.
An aggressive cancer from the pigment producing cells in the skin.
It can arise anywhere, including areas not exposed to the sun, such as the soles of one’s feet.
Darker skin types are also affected

Genetics - multiple dysplastic nevi/atypical moles, lighter skin types at a higher risk, personal or family history of melanoma
Environment - exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation
Personal - history of sunburns, a changing mole

Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
Wear sun protective clothing.
Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater. Reapply throughout the day.
Avoid tanning beds.
Get regular skin checks
Just 5 sunburns doubles one’s risk of melanoma

A common form of skin cancer that appears as red, scaly bumps on the skin and found in sun-exposed areas, such as the head or arms.
Often start as small scaly precancerous bumps known as actinic keratosis.

Genetics - fair skin, light hair or light eyes at a higher risk, history of precancerous cells (actinic keratosis), history of previous skin cancers, being immunosuppressed, men, those with scars or chronic ulcers
Environment - exposure to certain chemicals (such as arsenic), previous radiation exposure
Age - over 50 years old

Avoid direct sunlight in the middle of the day.
Wear sun protective clothing.
Wear a hat with a wide brim.
Use a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater. Reapply throughout the day.
Avoid tanning beds.
Get regular skin checks
Men are at a higher risk than women
Most common form of skin cancer in people of African or Asian descent
Slow growing but aggressive form of cancer
Twice as many people die from squamous cell carcinoma compared to melanoma in a given year (at least 15,000 people will die this year)
More than 1 million people will be diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma this year in the United States