Skin Cancer Can The be benign or malignant

Skin Cancer �Can �The be benign or malignant most common factor leading to skin cancer is overexposure to UV radiation in sunlight

Basal Cell Carcinoma �Least malignant and most common �Affects �Spread the basal layer is so slow that 99% of cases are solved by surgically removing the lesion

Basal Cell Carcinoma

Squamous Cell Carcinoma �Affects the spinous layer �Can rapidly spread to nearby lymph nodes and other healthy tissues/organs �Early detection and surgical removal usually leads to full recovery

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Malignant Melanoma �Cancer of melanocytes (skin pigments) �Caused by overexposure to the sun �Accounts for only ~5% of skin cancers, but is frequently deadly �Doctors use the ABCD rule for recognizing melanoma

ABCD rule �A) Asymmetry: the two sides of spot or mole do not match �B) Border irregularity: borders of the lesion are not smooth �C) Color: spot contains different colors (blacks, tans, browns, blues, reds) �D) Diameter: spot is larger than 6 mm in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser)

Malignant Melanoma

How does our skin change as we age?

Developmental Aspects of the Skin �Throughout our entire lives, our skin is constantly undergoing changes

Aged Skin �Subcutaneous tissue is reduced �Skin becomes drier as sebaceous glands lose function �Collagen and elastin fibers break down, resulting in wrinkles �Hair follicles decline, resulting in thinning of hair and baldness