If you find a new lump or spot on your skin, a sore that doesn't heal,or a change in a mole's appearance, it could be a sign of skin cancer.
Basal cell skin cancer can look like a smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump. It can be a lump that bleeds or develops a crust. Though this form of skin cancer rarely spreads to other parts of the body it can destroy nearby tissues. 
Squamous cell skin cancer can also look like a smooth, shiny, pale or waxy lump like basal cell. This form of skin cancer also rarely spreads to other parts of the body but it too can destroy nearby tissues. 
Melanoma skin cancer is the deadliest form and needs to be caught early. What to look for is asymmetry -- if one half of the mole looks different than the other half. If it has odd shaped borders and the color is not uniform throughout. Take a look at those moles and if you have any concerns seek out a dermatologist.
1. The melanoma image is misleading. Melanoma can look like a fleshy colored pimple. All the images the dermatologists show in their offices are black and are odd shaped. This is incorrect, my husband has melanoma and had a spot removed that was flesh colored and perfectly round, looked like a pimple. The data needs to be updated in the dermatologist office. Even the doctor's thought worst case scenario my husband had basal cell, not melanoma until the path came back different. Anything new get it checked right away. Don't assume and ignore the pictures they are wrong.
Posted at 10:24AM on May 7th 2007 by rciccone