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Any of the following skin symptoms which you may have had for some weeks, months or even years, could be a BCC. If you have a spot or sore on your skin that has not healed within 2-4 weeks, and it has two or more of the following features, see your GP:
- The spot is new, and growing in size
- A pearly-white, dome-shaped pimple crossed by red thread veins which may be spidery in appearance.
- An open sore or a scab that may bleed occasionally or crust, but does not heal.
- A non-healing patch of scaly or crusted, reddened or discoloured skin, which is usually painless but may be itchy or painful.
- A smooth, raised growth with a rolled-in edge, which gives it a cushioned appearance. It may be flesh-coloured, pink, red or brown.
- A pearly pimple with crustiness or weeping in the middle.
- A flat, raised, waxy lump that may weep or show signs of thickening or scarring and an indistinct edge.
- A patch of skin that looks flat and scarred, that is white or paler than the surrounding skin.
Most BCCs are painless. The most common site for a BCC to be found is the face, especially around the nose and lower eyelid, the scalp and the ears. BCCs on the trunk are often flat and may be multiple. On the lower leg they often look purple. Suprisingly, they are relatively uncommon on the sun-exposed backs of hands and forearms, although these areas are common sites for sunlight damage, actinic keratosis or squamous cell carcinoma. Occasionally, it may occur in longstanding burns or scars (normally at least 20 years old), or at the areas of previous radiotherapy (also usually at least 20 years later).
If you would like to see, we have some pictures of different types of skin cancer.
