Being outside, whether at the beach or in the sun, makes most of us feel better. But a lot of people don’t know that too much ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun or tanning beds can really harm our skin cells and even give us skin cancer.
One of the most common types of cancer is skin cancer. This condition is detected in thousands of patients in India every year. People are spending more time in the sun, not protecting themselves, and not knowing the early warning signals, which is why the number of cases is gradually rising. The good news is that skin cancer may often be avoided and is relatively easy to cure if it is found early.
This blog has all you need to know about skin cancer, including how to spot it, how UV exposure can cause it, the numerous types of skin cancer, and what every family can do to be safe from it. This essay is written in a way that is kind and easy for patients to understand. It will teach you when to ask for help, what to look out for, and how to keep your skin safe for the rest of your life.
What Does Skin Cancer Do To Your Skin?
Our skin has millions of cells, and they are continually generating new ones. When these cells are exposed to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds, their DNA can get damaged.Usually, our bodies can heal this damage. But over time, too much UV light inhibits this natural repair process destroying cells, which can cause skin cancer.
There Are Three Basic Kinds Of Skin Cancer:
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC): This is the most frequent form, and it usually arises after staying in the sun for a long time. It grows slowly and doesn’t spread very often, but if you don’t treat it, it can harm the tissues around it.
Commonly found on sun-exposed areas like the face, ears, and hands, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a kind of skin cancer. It grows faster than BCC and can spread if you don’t pay attention to it.
Melanoma is the most severe and aggressive kind of skin cancer. If not identified early, it can spread to other organs from cells that create pigment.
Anyone can get skin cancer, but persons with light skin are more likely to get it. But Indian people are not immune, especially those who work outside a lot or don’t apply sunscreen very often.
If doctors find skin cancer early, they can treat it considerably better, which means they won’t have to undertake surgery or other advanced treatments later.
Some of the keywords are skin cancer symptoms, basal cell carcinoma symptoms, and squamous cell carcinoma symptoms.
What to Look For If You Think You Have Skin Cancer
Skin cancer might look different on various people. That’s why it’s so vital to examine yourself often and be aware of the first indicators. You should pay attention to these critical indicators of skin cancer:
- A typical indicator of skin cancer is a new growth or sore that doesn’t go away in 2 to 3 weeks.
- A mole or patch that gets bigger, smaller, or changes colour.
- Itching, soreness, or tenderness that doesn’t go away in a certain part of the skin.
- A rough, scaly spot that bleeds quickly or produces a crust.
- Bumps that are bright and pearly and look like they are pink or see-through.
- Dark lines or spots under nails that aren’t from an injury.
- signs of basal skin cancer symptoms include bumps that are white or the same color as your skin and look like pimples that never go away. Flesh-colored or brown flat lesions may appear like scars, and sores that bleed or ooze, heal, and then come back.
- Flesh-colored or brown flat lesions that appear like scars.
- Sores that bleed or ooze, heal, and then come back.
- Squamous Cell Signs Carcinoma and Basal Cell Cancer Symptoms: A firm, red bump or nodule on the face or arms that has been in the sun, alongside signs of basal cell cancer symptoms.
- Flat spots having a rough and scaly surface.
- Rough or sore spots that won’t go away.
- ABCDE Rule: Signs of Melanoma A—Asymmetry: One side of a mole looks different from the other.
- B: Border: Edges that aren’t straight or clear.
- C—Color: There are numerous colours, such as brown, black, red, blue, and white.
- D—Diameter: Bigger than 6 mm, which is the size of a pencil.
- E—Evolving: This means that anything changes in size, shape, or behaviour over time.
If you notice any of these indicators of skin cancer, don’t wait. If I get in touch with a dermatologist or travel to a cancer hospital near me early on, I can get a rapid diagnosis and life-saving care.
How UV exposure promotes skin cancer
The sun sends out two kinds of damaging ultraviolet rays: UVA and UVB. Both can injure your skin right immediately, like being sunburnt, and they can also create problems later, like skin cancer and early ageing. This is how it works:
- DNA Damage: UV radiation can modify the DNA in skin cells, which can lead to mutations. Cells that are injured may start to divide too much, which can cause tumours.
- Weak Immune Response: When the skin is exposed to anything for a long time, it has a harder time healing itself or fighting off aberrant cells.
- Cumulative Effect: Even a little bit of sun exposure over time can compound up, thus skin cancer may not show up until years after the first injury.
- Fake UV sources like tanning beds make the risk much higher. Experts believe that tanning inside before the age of 35 makes the risk of melanoma 75% higher.
- Other things that can lead to skin cancer are:
- A family history of skin cancer.
- Being around chemicals that are bad for your health, like arsenic.
- Some treatments or disorders can make your immune system weaker.
- Radiation therapy for other health issues in the past.
How Doctors Tell Whether You Have Skin Cancer
The first thing you should do if you see any abnormal changes on your skin is to contact a dermatologist or oncologist. They could:- Use a dermatoscope to look closely at the spot.
- Get a small piece of skin for a biopsy to check for cancer cells.
- If the malignancy might have spread, consider imaging testing.
Skin Cancer Treatment Options in Maharashtra
How skin cancer is treated depends on the kind, size, and stage of the disease. The Onco-Life Cancer Centre in Maharashtra is one of the best sites for patients to acquire the following:- Surgery: Taking out the malignant tissue, which usually cures it in the early stages.
- Mohs surgery is an extremely precise way that doesn’t injure good skin.
- Cryotherapy is the process of using liquid nitrogen to freeze tiny lesions.
- Radiation therapy is a treatment that only works on certain people who can’t have surgery.
- Chemotherapy pills or creams: For cancers that have spread or are in an advanced stage.
- Immunotherapy and targeted therapy are two types of treatment that assist the immune system fight melanoma.
Getting to a cancer hospital near me with trained oncology doctors makes sure that I get the appropriate diagnosis, the newest technology, and full support following treatment. People who qualify for MJPJAY and other programs may be able to access free or low-cost care in Maharashtra.
Prevention: Keeping You and Your Family Safe
You can dramatically minimise your risk of skin cancer by making minor modifications to your daily life:
- Use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or more every day, even when it’s cloudy.
- Stay out of the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when UV rays are at their highest.
- Wear garments that keep you safe, such long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses that block UV radiation.
- Don’t use tanning beds because they send off UV rays that are bad for you.
- Every month, check your moles and see if they have changed or if new ones have grown.
- Teach kids early: If you get sunburnt as a child, you are more likely to have skin cancer later in life.
Remember that it’s much easier to avoid problems than to fix them. A few small changes to your everyday routine can keep you and your loved ones safe for life.
Final Thoughts:
Skin cancer doesn’t happen all at once. It takes a long time, usually because of years of being in the sun without protection, but the indications are there if we know what to look for. You can save lives by doing regular self-exams, learning the signs of skin cancer, and getting to a cancer hospital near me as soon as you realise something is wrong.
At Onco-Life Cancer Centre in Maharashtra, our committed team will help you heal completely and with confidence by delivering you an early diagnosis, advanced skin cancer therapy, and supportive care.
