![]() Light-skinned people or those with light or red hair often have more freckles in the summer because of more sun exposure. They are often clumped together in an area, have smooth borders, and are painless.įreckles are very common, with small brown spots on the face, neck, chest, and arms. Usually caused by sun exposure, some spots are hereditary or caused by radiation therapy. Lentigines are more common among people with fair skin. Skin tags are not cancerous, but it's not uncommon for people to mistake them as precancerous growths.īrown spots or age spots are usually harmless skin discolorations (usually brown) and are called lentigo. You may become aware of a skin tag when it becomes irritated by clothing or other skin rubbing against it. They are more common in women who are overweight and in older people. Usually harmless, they appear on the neck, chest, armpits, groin area, or under the breasts. Skin tags are a general term for any small flap of tissue that hangs off your skin. However, keep in mind, moles that appear after age 25 and look different than your other moles are also more likely to become cancerous. Moles larger than a pencil eraser, with an irregular shape or uneven color, are also more likely to become cancerous. Moles present at birth (in about 1% of infants) are slightly more likely to develop into melanoma. Moles usually change very slowly but can become raised or change color. Most show up early childhood, and most people have 1- to 40 moles by age 25. Moles are brown or black skin growths that can appear anywhere on the skin. The most common growths on the skin include moles, freckles, skin tags, and warts. While usually slow-growing, if left untreated it will likely turn into melanoma skin cancer called lentigo maligna melanoma. Lentigo maligna, a flat brown patch with uneven borders, is considered a very early form of melanoma. In as few as six weeks, it can spread quickly to other parts of the body or internal organs. Melanoma is more severe skin cancer and is harder to treat.However, if it spreads (which happens in 1 to 5% of cases), it is much harder to treat. It can be treated successfully if detected early. Squamous cell carcinoma is less common but more serious because it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body. ![]() Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer, according to the American Cancer Society, making up the majority of skin cancer cases in the United States.If precancerous skin growths are left untreated, they may result in one of the following types of skin cancer: If left untreated, AKs are likely to progress into nonmelanoma skin cancer. Many oncologists consider AKs as early squamous cell cancers (SCC). Some people say an AK feels rough, like a spot of sandpaper on the skin. While many forms of precancerous skin growths form after the age of 40, it can happen at an earlier age, especially for those of us living in Florida where we are outside in a lot of sunshine.Īctinic keratosis (AK) is the most common type of precancerous growth. While it's not considered cancer yet, it can turn into it in the future. Precancerous skin growths develop on skin that has a lot of sun exposure over time without proper protection. It's important to know what signs you should be looking for and what your next steps are moving forward. ![]() While a new skin spot may be a little shocking, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is cancerous.
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