Skin Cancer & Skin Cancer Treatment
Learn about skin cancer, including types, causes, symptoms, and treatments. Discover the importance of early detection and effective methods for healthy skin.
What is Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in humans. Over 5.4 million skin cancers were treated last year. 1 out of every 5 Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70.
Skin cancer is caused by the sun. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes DNA damage in your skin cells. Over time, skin cells start to grow abnormally. Skin cancer is preventable through sun-protective behaviors and the use of sunscreen.
There are many different types of skin cancer. The three most common are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Most people have heard about melanoma because it is the deadliest, but it is not the most common. By far, the most common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Did you know?
- If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, your risk of developing another skin cancer in 5 years is 50%.
- Daily sunscreen (SPF >15) use can decrease your risk of developing melanoma by 50%.
- Greater than 80% of non-melanoma skin cancers (basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas) occur on the head and neck. This is because the head and neck are continually exposed to sunlight. It is crucial to protect yourself with sunscreen and a broad-brimmed hat.
Skin Cancer Risk Factors:
- Indoor tanning
- Sunburns
- Skin type (fair/blond hair, blue eyes)
- Cumulative sun exposure (UVA & UVB rays)
- Genetics (family history of skin cancer)
- Atypical moles
How to Prevent Skin Cancer?
Sun protective behaviors include the following:
- Daily use of broad-spectrum sunscreen (UVA+UVB) with an SPF of 30 or greater. On cloudy days, 80% of UV radiation hits you.
- Sun protective clothing: UV sunglasses and wide-brimmed hats
- Seek shade or create your own – go for the shade under a tree, umbrella, or cabana
- Do NOT use tanning beds or sunlamps. The FDA labeled these carcinogens, meaning cancer-causing substances.
- Monthly self-skin examinations
- Ensure you look everywhere, including your back, the backs of your legs, your scalp, the soles of your feet, and in between your toes.
- Use a hand mirror and a full-length mirror to examine your back and the back of your legs.
- Ask your hairdresser or a friend to look at your scalp.
- Take photos with your smartphone; these provide a permanent medical record you can later use as a reference to determine whether a mole has changed.
- Annual skin exams by a board-certified dermatologist.
How to Take High-Quality Photos for Your Doctor:
- Make sure you are in a well-lit room. Natural light is the best.
- Take your time and make sure the photos are in focus. When you zoom in, the images should remain clear rather than blurry. If the picture is blurry when you zoom in, the camera didn’t focus on the correct area.
- Then, photograph the entire area, including the left upper back, left lower back, right upper back, right lower back, left upper arm, left lower arm, etc.
- Next, take a close-up photo of the area of concern. We recommend taking close-up pictures with your camera 1 foot away from the lesion. A common mistake is to have the camera too close to the spot of concern.
- After you take these photos, look at them and zoom in to ensure they are not blurry.
Mohs Surgery & Mohs Procedure St. Louis
Mohs micrographic surgery has the highest surgical cure rate among all treatments for skin cancer. This technique preserves your normal skin, focusing on removing skin cancer, minimizing scarring, and maximizing your cosmetic outcome. Mohs Micrographic surgery is the most advanced treatment for skin cancer.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the only surgical technique that examines 100% of the margins (edges) of the specimen (skin cancer) removed. This means that 100% of the specimen’s lateral and bottom edges are examined microscopically to confirm the absence of cancer cells at these sites. This provides patients with the highest cure rates, the smallest scars, and the best cosmetic outcomes for their skin cancer.
Brandon T. Beal, MD, is an expert in diagnosing and treating skin cancer. He is a Double Board-Certified Mohs Surgeon and Dermatologist, a fellowship-trained Mohs Micrographic Surgeon, a dermatologic oncologist (cancer doctor of the skin), and a plastic facial reconstructive surgeon.
Dr. Beal completed his dermatology residency at the Cleveland Clinic Dermatology & Plastic Surgery Institute and his fellowship in Mohs Micrographic Surgery, dermatologic oncology, and facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Zitelli & Brodland, PC. Dr. Beal trained at the Cleveland Clinic’s Melanoma program, a multidisciplinary team of dermatopathologists, pathologists, dermatologists, and surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists.
Dr. Beal provides each patient with comprehensive counseling on the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, a thorough head-to-toe skin examination, and an individualized treatment plan based on evidence-based medicine. Dr. Beal is an expert in Mohs Micrographic Surgery (Mohs Surgery), which is the treatment that provides the highest cure rates, greater than 99% for most skin cancers. He follows the National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines and the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging guidelines.
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