How to Tell If You Have Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma doesn’t have the bad rap of its deadlier cousin, melanoma. You shouldn’t take it any less seriously, though. This type of skin cancer needs fast and targeted treatment to prevent it from spreading and causing a threat to your overall health. 

Squamous cells are flat cells that make up the outer layer of your skin. That means if you catch this kind of cancer early, while it’s still on the surface of your skin, it’s not life-threatening. 

With that goal in mind, Ali Hendi, MD, and Joanna Dong, MD, want to help you learn what to look for when it comes to this type of skin cancer. 

If you notice any areas that could be squamous cell carcinoma and you’re in the Washington, DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia, area, come visit our office in Chevy Chase, Maryland. We can evaluate the spot and determine if it needs to be removed. 

Looking for squamous cell carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma develops in response to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. As a result, you’re most likely to get this kind of skin cancer on areas that get a lot of sun, like your:

• Ears
• Face
• Forearms
• Hands
• Neck
• Scalp
• Shoulders

You can even get this kind of skin cancer in your mouth. 

It can show up in a few different ways, including:

• A firm bump that’s a different color from the rest of your skin
• A rough, scaly patch
• A sore that doesn’t heal
• A growth with raised edges and a lower center
• A growth that bleeds or itches
• A wart-like growth

It’s easier to spot this kind of skin cancer if you know what it looks like. The Skin Cancer Foundation and the American Academy of Dermatology Association have images of this kind of cancer you can reference. 

Getting your skin checked and getting needed treatment

If you think you might have squamous cell carcinoma, come see our team. This kind of skin cancer is very curable when it’s caught in its early stages, i.e., when it’s still confined to the surface of your skin. The sooner you get care from a medical professional, the better off you’ll be. 

We evaluate the problem skin area. If we think it could be cancer, we biopsy it. By surgically removing some of the affected tissue, we can take it to our lab for evaluation.

If it is squamous cell carcinoma, your provider removes it. We offer Mohs surgery to ensure we get all the cancerous cells while protecting as much of your surrounding healthy tissue as possible.

Don’t wait if you have a potentially troublesome spot. If you think you might have this kind of skin cancer, come see our team as soon as possible. Call our office at 301-812-4591 to make an appointment or book one online today.