Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Hurst, TX

There really is no healthy way to expose your skin to the sun, ultraviolet (UV) rays. We all have to do our best to protect our skin from overexposure (especially if you have naturally fair skin, light-colored hair, and grey/green/blue) eyes. One of the most prevalent skin cancers you can develop is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and every skin type is susceptible. The sun's destructive light and UV rays (which includes tanning beds) revise the DNA in your skin so that abnormal cells grow — and grow into cancer that can spread to other parts of your body. Recognizing and eliminating SCC in the early stages can lead to a healthy prognosis. You may see a questionable growth or rough, dry patch in the places where you typically get the most sun (scalp, nose, face, chest, back, forearms, and the legs). We offer skin cancer screening for SCC at SkinMD in Hurst and Weatherford, TX through our providers.

SkinMD is accepting new patients through physician referral or by making an appointment on your own accord. Our SkinMD team would also be happy to work in tandem with your other doctors if you need to see other specialists for aggressive cancer treatment.

Squamous cell carcinomas are the reason why you should wear sunscreen at all times when you are outdoors for work or recreation. Overexposure to ultraviolet rays and the sun (or tanning beds), even without repeat sunburns, can rework the makeup of your skin to the point you develop cancer. Environmental exposures to radiation and harsh cancer-causing chemicals can also alter the makeup of your vulnerable skin. We also see patients with actinic keratosis, HPV, wounds, skin infections, and burns that have damaged the skin so much that it causes the skin to grow abnormal cells like cancer.

There are many forms a malignant SCC could take, which makes it necessary to watch certain spots on your skin when you start to notice symptoms like bumps or tumors that feel scaly, easily bleed, crust over but never heal. You may mistake it for a common skin mole or a wart. The skin can also be thick and bumpy. When SCC start to morph into skin cancer sites, the color, shape, size, and symmetry can dramatically change from mild to severe. When you experience these symptoms, make an appointment as soon as possible to have it screened for skin cancer. You may need a biopsy of the skin cells to verify the diagnosis.

The best thing you can do for your skin is to get professional medical treatment as early as you can. Because SCC is very common, we have many treatment options available at SkinMD. If the SCC is found soon enough in its development, then we can excise the cells without too much injury to your skin. If the SCC is in a more advanced stage, then a more aggressive approach may need to be discussed. The issue with SCC is the possibility of it spreading (as metastatic cancer) and developing into a more advanced health issue.

Even though SCC is a curable type of cancer, surgery will modify your body. Large tumors will leave your skin with deep scars or indentations that require additional aesthetic surgeries to renew the area. At SkinMD, we offer surgical excision, cryotherapy, electrodesiccation, curettage, and other medical interventions for SCC.

Let's take a look at your skin. If you keep waiting for the area to heal — you are only delaying your treatment. We can evaluate your skin for squamous cell carcinoma and any other abnormal skin cells in a private consultation in our offices in Hurst and Weatherford, TX. You will find that our dermatology team is here to help your skin look and feel better. Call today. Speak up for your skin and have a screening as soon as there is an opening.