Each year, millions of people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer, but many cases can be prevented or found early with sun protection and routine skin checks. National Skin Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to protect your skin, watch for new or changing spots, and schedule a screening before Houston’s high-UV summer season.
Quick Facts: Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., but early detection and routine skin checks can help catch concerns sooner.
Daily sun protection, including broad-spectrum sunscreen, shade, and protective clothing, helps lower the risk of harmful UV damage.
Watch for changing moles, non-healing sores, or spots that itch, bleed, or crust, and schedule a dermatology screening if you notice changes.
Why Skin Cancer Awareness Matters
May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, a time to focus on prevention, early detection, and healthy sun habits.
Awareness is especially important in Houston, where warm weather, outdoor work, sports, pool time, and beach trips can lead to frequent UV exposure. Skin damage can happen during short daily activities, not just long days outside.
Skin Cancer Awareness Month also includes important national reminders such as Melanoma Monday, which raises awareness about melanoma, and Don’t Fry Day, which encourages sun-safe habits before Memorial Day weekend. The black ribbon is commonly used to represent melanoma awareness.
What Causes Skin Cancer?
Most skin cancers are linked to ultraviolet, or UV, radiation from the sun or indoor tanning beds. Over time, UV exposure can damage skin cells and increase skin cancer risk.
Common skin cancer risk factors include:
- Frequent sun exposure
- History of sunburns, especially blistering sunburns
- Indoor tanning
- Fair skin, light eyes, or light hair
- Family history of skin cancer
- Many moles or unusual-looking moles
- Outdoor work, sports, or hobbies
- Weakened immune system
In Houston, UV exposure can quickly add up from yard work, youth sports, golf, boating, running, pool days, and coastal trips.
Signs of Skin Cancer to Watch For
Skin cancer does not always look the same for every person. It may appear as a new spot, a changing mole, a sore that does not heal, or a patch of skin that feels different from the surrounding area.
See a dermatologist if you notice:
- A new or changing mole
- A spot that itches, hurts, bleeds, or crusts
- A sore that does not heal
- A rough, scaly, or raised patch
- A bump that grows over time
- A mole or spot that looks different from your others
- A dark streak under a nail
- A pink, red, brown, black, or skin-colored lesion that changes
If a spot is new, changing, painful, bleeding, or unusual for you, schedule a skin check.
The ABCDE Rule for Moles
The ABCDE rule can help you know when a mole should be checked by a dermatologist:
A — Asymmetry
One half of the mole does not match the other half.
B — Border
The edges are uneven, blurred, ragged, or irregular.
C — Color
The mole has different shades of brown, black, red, white, blue, or tan.
D — Diameter
The spot is larger than a pencil eraser, although skin cancer can also be smaller.
E — Evolving
The Mole changes in size, shape, color, height, or symptoms such as itching or bleeding.
Dermatologists also recommend watching new spots, different from others, changing, itching, or bleeding.
What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?
Skin cancer can look like a mole, bump, patch, sore, or irritated area. It may be dark, pink, red, shiny, scaly, crusted, or skin colored. A professional skin cancer exam is the safest way to evaluate suspicious spots.
Basal Cell Carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma may look like a shiny bump, pink or red patch, sore that heals and returns, or pearly growth. It often appears on sun-exposed areas such as the face, ears, neck, scalp, shoulders, or arms.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Squamous cell carcinoma may look like a rough, scaly patch, a firm red bump, a crusted sore, or a wart-like growth. It can develop on sun-exposed areas, including the face, ears, lips, neck, hands, arms, and scalp.
Melanoma
Melanoma may appear as a new dark spot or changing mole with uneven borders, multiple colors, or an irregular shape. It can occur anywhere on the body.
Houston Summer Sun Safety Tips
Small daily habits can help lower your risk of sun damage while still enjoying Houston’s outdoor lifestyle.
Use these summer sun safety tips:
- Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen every day.
- Choose sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher; many dermatologists recommend SPF 30 or higher for extended outdoor time.
- Reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours, and after swimming or sweating.
- Wear a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses.
- Choose lightweight long sleeves, pants, or UPF-rated clothing when possible.
- Seek shade under trees, umbrellas, or covered areas.
- Avoid peak UV hours when the sun is strongest.
- Do not use tanning beds.
These steps can also help reduce the risk of sun poisoning, painful sunburns, and long-term UV damage.
Who Should Get a Skin Cancer Screening?
Skin cancer screening is a full-body skin exam that checks moles, spots, growth, and areas of concern.
You may benefit from a skin cancer screening if you:
- Spend a lot of time outdoors
- Have fair skin, light hair, or light eyes
- Have a history of blistering sunburns
- Have used tanning beds
- Have a personal or family history of skin cancer
- Have many moles or unusual moles
- Work outdoors
- Play outdoor sports
- Have noticed a new or changing mole
- Have a sore that does not heal
Routine skin checks can help establish a baseline and make future changes easier to spot.
When to See a Dermatologist for a Skin Check
Schedule a skin exam with a dermatologist if you notice a new or changing mole, a sore that will not heal, persistent irritation, or a spot that bleeds, crusts, hurts, grows, or keeps coming back.
Many adults choose to have an annual skin cancer exam, especially if they have a higher risk of skin cancer. Your dermatologist can recommend a screening schedule based on your skin type, sun exposure, personal history, family history, and exam findings.
Precancerous Skin Changes
Precancerous skin changes are abnormal areas of skin that may have a higher chance of becoming cancer over time. One common type is actinic keratosis, also called solar keratosis.
Actinic keratoses often feel rough, dry, scaly, or sandpaper-like and commonly appear on the face, scalp, ears, neck, forearms, and hands.
Early treatment can help manage abnormal skin cells before they become more serious.
FAQs
Skin cancer can look like a changing mole, a shiny bump, a rough patch, a sore that does not heal, or a spot that bleeds, crusts, or grows. It may be pink, red, brown, black, tan, or skin colored.
Some skin cancers may itch, feel tender, bleed, crust, or become irritated, while others cause no symptoms at all. Any spot that changes, grows, or does not heal should be evaluated by a dermatologist.
Many skin cancers are highly treatable when found early. Treatment depends on the type, size, depth, location, and stage of cancer. A dermatologist can evaluate the spot and explain the best treatment options.
Many adults benefit from a yearly skin check, especially if they have a history of sunburns, tanning bed use, skin cancer, unusual moles, or heavy sun exposure. Your dermatologist can recommend a schedule based on your personal risk.
See a dermatologist if a mole is new, changing, uneven, bleeding, itching, painful, crusting, or looks different from your other moles. The ABCDE rule can help you identify changes that need attention.
Yes. While many skin cancers develop on sun-exposed skin, melanoma and other skin cancers can sometimes appear in less exposed areas, including the feet, nails, scalp, or under clothing.
People with heavy sun exposure, fair skin, a history of blistering sunburns, a family history of skin cancer, outdoor jobs, tanning bed use, changing moles, or non-healing sores should consider skin cancer screening.
Schedule a Skin Cancer Screening in Houston
Protecting your skin starts with prevention and early detection. If you have noticed changes in your skin, have a mole that concerns you, or want peace of mind before summer, schedule a professional skin cancer screening with CLS Health.
A dermatology provider can examine your skin, answer your questions, discuss sun protection, and recommend the next steps if a spot needs monitoring, treatment, or biopsy.
