Skin cancer tests are one of the most important aspects of early diagnosis of the condition. However, before getting into the details of how to test for skin cancer, it is important to understand the threat that skin cancer poses to an individual's life. As with any cancer, the condition is the result of some abnormal development of cells.
Some of the more prominent symptoms of the condition that will allow you to take notice and therefore diagnose the condition earlier include the development of pearly or waxy bumps or inflammations that resemble flat, flesh colored lesions. These inflammations and growths will generally develop on areas of the skin that are most often exposed to the sun such as the scalp, face, neck, arms and hands. There are different types of skin cancer- all with their own types of lesions that will form. The most common cause of the development of skin cancer is over exposure of the skin to the harmful ultra violet rays of the sun. However, this does not explain the skin cancer that develops on skin that is not exposed to direct sunlight. These skin cancers could possibly be the result of exposure to some kind of toxic material or a condition that has affected the immune system or even simply hereditary.
Understanding how to test for skin cancer means also knowing about the stages of cancer and how it affects the body. In the event that the condition affects only the skin, it is still considered to be a local stage of the condition, while the metastatic stage of the condition is said to have developed when the cancer has spread beyond the skin.
Skin cancer screening tests can be performed in the comfort of your home and does not really require any specialized doctor or nurses. Since the condition can affect you at any time, it is important to mark a date on your calendar to perform a monthly screening test. Understand the various cancers as well as the shapes of the footprints that they will leave on your skin. Familiarize yourself with the various warning signs of the condition and ensure that you inform your doctor about any new growths or abnormalities as soon as you have detected them. It is essential to examine the entire body as vigilantly as possible as it is easy to miss some of the cancer cells if you are not concentrating fully.