Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a common form of cancer, especially among people with unprotected sun exposure. At Island Aesthetics & Dermatology in Coupeville, Washington, aesthetics and dermatology specialists Shannon Tumblin, ARPN, Kristy Anderson, ARPN, and their experienced team offer treatments for skin cancer to remove cancerous tissues and prevent complications. Call the office to get screened for skin cancer, or use the online scheduler today.

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is a type of cancer that causes abnormal cells to develop within the skin. It’s prevalent in skin often exposed to the sun, but skin cancer can also develop in other parts of your body. Common skin cancer types include melanoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. When detected early, skin cancer is usually highly treatable.

What are the symptoms of skin cancer?

The most typical symptoms of skin cancer include:

• Flesh-colored, black, or brown lesions
• Moles that change in appearance
• Waxy or pearly bumps
• Scabbing or bleeding sores
• Brown spot with dark specs
• Crusted lesions
• Moles with irregular borders
• Red, firm nodules
• Moles that bleed
• Itching or burning lesions
• Dark moles

Any time you develop an unusual lesion or mole that changes in size, color, texture, or overall appearance, see your provider for a skin cancer screening. 

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

Anyone can develop skin cancer, but the common risk factors include:

• Having fair skin
• Family or personal history of skin cancer
• Unprotected sun exposure
• Excessive sun exposure
• Having a lot of moles
• History of sunburns
• Tanning bed exposure
• Radiation exposure
• Precancerous skin lesions
• Weakened immune system
• Toxin exposure

Protecting your skin from the sun and tanning beds is one of the best ways to reduce your chance of developing skin cancer. 

Wear sunscreen or protective clothing, use caution with medications that make your skin sensitive to sunlight, and check your skin regularly for unusual lesions. Report any skin changes to your dermatology specialist. 

Do I have skin cancer?

The Island Aesthetics & Dermatology team screens you for skin cancer by reviewing your symptoms, discussing your medical history, and examining skin in areas containing new or suspicious-looking lesions.

Your specialist may remove a portion or all of a lesion during a skin biopsy and send it to a lab for analysis. A biopsy also lets your specialist know which type of skin cancer you might have.

How is skin cancer treated?

The treatment your Island Aesthetics & Dermatology provider recommends for skin cancer depends on the type and stage of cancer you have. They may suggest freezing cancer cells, surgically removing the cancer, or completing Mohs surgery to eliminate cancerous tissues one layer at a time. 

Another option to remove cancer cells is to use a blade and an electric current or cryotherapy to destroy affected tissues. Your provider may recommend more than one type of treatment.

Sometimes you need radiation therapy, chemotherapy, laser treatment, or biological therapy that destroys cancer cells using your body’s immune system.

To find out if you have skin cancer and get treated for it, call the Island Aesthetics & Dermatology office or use the online booking feature today.