What Is Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer is the out-of-control growth of abnormal cells in the epidermis, the outermost skin layer, caused by DNA damage that triggers mutations. These mutations lead the skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors. The two main types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The third most common type of skin cancer is melanoma, which is a cancer of the melanocytes ("mole" cells). 
 

What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?

Skin cancers can look quite different from one person to another due to skin tone, size and type of skin cancer and location on the body. 
 

What Causes Cancers of the Skin?

The two main causes of skin cancer are the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays and using UV tanning beds. The good news is that if skin cancer is caught early, we can treat it with little or no scarring and high odds of eliminating it entirely. Often, we may even detect the growth at a precancerous stage, before it has become a full-blown skin cancer or penetrated below the surface of the skin.

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC):
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer and the most frequently occurring form of all cancers. In the U.S. alone, an estimated 3.6 million cases are diagnosed each year. BCCs arise from abnormal, uncontrolled growth of basal cells. Because BCCs grow slowly, most are curable and cause minimal damage when caught and treated early. Understanding BCC causes, risk factors and warning signs can help you detect them early, when they are easiest to treat and cure.

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Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC):
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin is the second most common form of skin cancer, characterized by abnormal, accelerated growth of squamous cells. When caught early, most SCCs are curable.

SCCs can appear as scaly red patches, open sores, rough, thickened or wart-like skin, or raised growths with a central depression. At times, SCCs may crust over, itch or bleed. The lesions most commonly arise in sun-exposed areas of the body. While the majority of SCCs can be easily and successfully treated, if allowed to grow, these lesions can become disfiguring, dangerous and even deadly. Untreated SCCs can become invasive, grow into deeper layers of skin and spread to other parts of the body.

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Melanoma:

Malignant melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that begins in cells known as melanocytes. While it is less common than basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), this skin cancer is more dangerous because of its ability to spread to other organs more rapidly if it is not treated at an early stage. Melanoma is usually curable when detected and treated early. Once it has spread deeper into the skin or other parts of the body, it becomes more difficult to treat and can be deadly.