Do I Have Skin Cancer? 12 Symptoms Men Should Never Ignore

Symptoms of skin cancer should never be ignored. Although not all skin cancers are considered fatal, thousands of Americans die every year from skin cancer. Certain skin cancers or pre-cancers such as basal cell carcinoma are easily treated when caught early. Melanoma, however, is the most progressive and life-threatening skin cancer.

According to the Mayo Clinic, skin cancers can appear anywhere on the body, but often affect sun-exposed areas including the face, lips, neck, ears, arms, hands, legs and even the scalp. Fair-skinned men are more often prone to skin cancer, but it can strike people with any type of skin.

Suspicious moles or spots indicate possible skin cancer. According to Everyday Health, the ABCDE method helps to recognize symptoms. The letter A represents a mole that is asymmetric. B symbolizes an irregular border, which is not smooth. C means the color of a mole might have red, white or blue areas within the black or brown color. D stands for a diameter of a mole being larger than the size of a pencil eraser and the letter E stands for an evolving or changing mole in size or appearance.

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Here are 12 symptoms men should never ignore for possible skin cancers:

Basal cell carcinomas and Squamous cell carcinomas appear as:

1. Shiny, pearly or waxy bumps.

2. Flat, firm, pale areas.

3. Flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesions.

4. Firm, red nodules.

5. Flat, rough, scaly or crusted lesions.

Melanoma most often appears on the face or the trunk of affected men, says Mayo Clinic. Melanoma may appear as:

6. A new spot on the skin that changes in size, shape or color.

7. An unusual spot that looks different from the other moles or spots on your body.

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8. Large brownish spots with darkened speckles.

9. Small lesions with irregular borders that may include red, white, blue or blue-black colors.

10. Dark lesions on the palms, soles of the feet, fingertips, toes or in the mouth.

Skin cancer symptoms for lesser-known skin conditions include:

11. Firm, shiny or hard nodules that indicate Merkel cell or sebaceous gland carcinomas.

12. Red or purplish patches that indicate Kaposi sarcoma.

This article is for information only and is not intended as medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your specific health and medical needs.

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