It's not just moles: these signs on the skin can also be cancer

Despite popular belief, skin cancers only develop from a mole in a small proportion of cases. Here are other signs on the skin that should prompt a consultation, according to a dermatologist.

When we think of skin cancer, we usually think of a mole. However, these brown marks are far from the only sign of skin cancer. There isn't just one type of skin cancer, but several. The most common, basal cell carcinoma, accounts for about 70% of skin cancer cases. Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common. Melanoma, which develops from moles, is the rarest (10%) of cases but also the most serious.

First, basal cell carcinomas, the most common, can appear on the skin in several ways. They can be "small, slightly hard, whitish beads, pinkish spots, or even small pimples," lists Dr. Isabelle Gallay, dermatologist and vice-president of the National Union of Dermatologists and Venereologists (SNDV). This type of cancer "grows slowly," according to Dr. Gallay, and can affect the face as well as the body, particularly areas exposed to the sun.

Then, squamous cell carcinomas "most often start from precancerous lesions: actinic keratoses," Dr. Gallay tells us. These pink spots on the skin, which affect "almost everyone from the age of 50," can sometimes turn into carcinomas. When actinic keratoses become scaly, form crusts, or bleed easily, it's a warning sign. Squamous cell carcinomas can also develop without precancerous lesions; it can then be a "pimple that develops, ulcerates... It can happen quite quickly," the dermatologist explains.

Carcinomas can affect anyone; it's a person's behavior in the sun and their skin type that matter. For example, a person who spends a lot of time in the sun and has fair skin will be at greater risk of developing carcinoma "after a certain number of years of individual loss of protective capital," explains Dr. Isabelle Gallay.

Regardless of the type of skin cancer, "they must not be allowed to progress; it is better to detect them early," warns the dermatologist. She recommends consulting in the event of "a new lesion on the body or face, not just a mole; it can also be a new spot or a pimple that does not heal." Given the sometimes very long wait times for an appointment with a dermatologist, "your general practitioner will be able to help you and may even call on a specialized care team that the National Union of Dermatologists has already set up in certain regions," advises Dr. Gallay.