How to Check Your Skin for Skin Cancer

Video Transcript

"This is Dr. David Cathcart from Heartland Regional Medical Center. Thanks for joining me today. We're going to talk about how to check for skin cancer. Skin cancers, if they metastasize, can harm your body just like any other cancer, once it metastasized, particularly melanoma is the one that we worry about, although the other ones, squamous cell can do it, and basal cell carcinoma, and those are really the three most common types, but once these cells metastasize, to other plates, we're left with the same problems, which is it robs surrounding tissue of nutrition. It becomes a space occupying lesion. It can damage the integrity of a very sensitive organ, so skin cancer can kill. Make no mistake about it, particularly melanoma. The other ones, while less deadly, are not too dangerous, if you catch them early, so any lump that you see, any rapidly changing spot, any spot that has multiple colors, please have it checked by your doctor. Another thing that can help protect you from the risk of skin cancer, is shielding yourself from the sun, with a high grade sunblock, particularly if you're going to be out in the sun, particularly if you're fair skinned, or you're freckled, or red hair. Those people are the ones that have the most likelihood of damage to the skin, from sun. Another thing that you should do when you're out in the sun, is to wear a hat or something to protect the tops of your ears, which are a very vulnerable place for skin cancers, and the forehead. Thanks for letting me talk to you about skin cancer. This is Dr. David Cathcart."