If you are prone to sun burn and work in the sun a lot then it makes sense to get you skin checked out at least once a year by a professional. Skin cancer screening is a process where your skin is examined for any blemishes, marks or bumps that may be cancerous. It can identify potential problems early on and thus increase the chances of treating the disease effectively and without fuss. However, you should also examine your skin from time to time for any changes. In order to do this successfully you need to know a bit about skin cancer. This article will list the three types of skin cancer and their typical signs and treatment.

There are three types of skin cancer. The first two mentioned are considered to be benign most of the time so they are easy to treat. However it is still important to identify and treat them as soon as possible as they may spread and lead to a more serious problem.

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma is the most commonly diagnosed type of skin cancer. Symptoms of basal cell carcinoma are a waxy bump on the skin. Other signs may be brown or flesh colored marks on the skin that may resembles an old scar. The carcinoma can appear anywhere on the body but is typically found on the face, neck, chest and back.

As most cases of basal cell carcinoma are benign and do not spread to other parts of the body treatment is relatively easy and effective. The bump or mark is simply cut out or frozen and removed. This can be done in 30 minutes at a doctor's surgery.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma is treated in the same way as basal cell carcinoma although it is more common for it to spread. Normally it only spread to surrounding skin cells so it can still be treated successfully.

A red nodule or bump that is hard or firm to touch is a typical manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma. It will develop from this to have scaly or flaky skin at the surface that may peel. Eventually it will become a lesion that may bleed. It can occur anywhere on the body but the common areas are the face, neck, arms and hands. It can also appear on the lips and ears sometimes. Treatment involves cutting away the carcinoma or freezing it.

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most serious of the three types of skin cancer. If it is left untreated it may spread to other parts of the body, including the lymph nodes. This will increase the chances of it spreading throughout the body including vital organs. This will ultimately prove to be fatal unless treatment is started. Diagnosing melanoma early is the best chance of treating it successfully thus it is important that you get screened by a professional from time to time. Mention any lumps or unusual skin conditions that you may have noticed during self examination and let the professional examine them.

It is important to be aware of the three types of skin cancer as you can be alerted to any potential skin problems with this knowledge. However it is far better to prevent skin cancer from occurring than ever having to go through a procedure to remove skin cancers. Prevention means limiting your exposure to ultraviolet rays either by avoiding them or wearing some form of protection against them.