Most common
Basal cell carcinoma
Often a pearly, pink, or flesh-colored bump that can bleed, scab, or look like a sore that will not finish healing. It rarely spreads, but it can grow locally if left alone.
Medical · Skin cancer
A changing spot deserves an unhurried look
Screening, biopsy decisions, and follow-up stay with your physician. This page explains what we look for, what a visit includes, and when you should not wait.
How we care for skin cancer here
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. Most cases are highly treatable when found early. At Norton Dermatology & Wellness, a physician examines you in person, explains what they see, and decides with you whether a spot can be watched, photographed for comparison, or sampled. Nothing on this page replaces that conversation.
The three we discuss most often
Names matter less than change. Still, it helps to know the language your physician may use.
Sun-exposed skin
Squamous cell carcinoma
A scaly patch, firm bump, or tender horn-like growth — frequently on the face, ears, scalp, hands, or lips. It can grow more quickly than basal cell and should be examined promptly.
Least common, most serious
Melanoma
Can appear as a new mole or a change in an existing one. Early detection is the difference. If a spot is new, changing, or unlike your others, we want to see it.
A simple way to look at your own moles
Dermatologists use the ABCDE guide as a starting point — not a score you assign yourself. If any letter describes a spot, book a visit. One “ugly duckling” that looks different from the rest of your moles is also a reason to be seen.
- A · Asymmetry
- One half of the spot does not match the other.
- B · Border
- The edge is irregular, notched, or poorly defined.
- C · Color
- More than one color — brown, black, red, white, or blue.
- D · Diameter
- Larger than about 6 mm (a pencil eraser), or growing.
- E · Evolving
- Any change in size, shape, color, itch, or bleeding.
- Ugly duckling
- The one mole that does not look like your others.
When not to wait
Contact the practice or book the next available visit if you notice any of the following. If you are acutely unwell, use emergency care.
- A sore that bleeds, scabs, and does not heal after several weeks
- A mole that is new in adulthood, or changing month to month
- A dark streak under a nail that is not from a known injury
- A rapidly growing, tender, or ulcerated bump
- A spot that looks different from every other mole you have
Who benefits from regular screening
Anyone can develop skin cancer. We especially recommend a full-skin examination if you have:
- A personal or family history of melanoma or other skin cancer
- Many moles, atypical moles, or a history of blistering sunburns
- Fair skin, light eyes, or a tendency to burn rather than tan
- Outdoor work, tanning-bed use, or long-term immunosuppression
- A transplant, or treatment that lowers immune surveillance
What a full-skin examination includes
Step 1
History
We ask what changed, when you first noticed it, and whether it itches, bleeds, or hurts.
Step 2
Head-to-toe look
Scalp, face, trunk, limbs, nails, and other sites that are easy to miss at home.
Step 3
Dermoscopy when useful
A lighted magnifier helps your physician see structure beneath the surface.
Step 4
A clear recommendation
Watch, photograph for comparison, treat in clinic, or biopsy — explained in plain language.
If a biopsy is recommended
A biopsy is a small sample of skin, taken after the area is numbed. Your physician will tell you how the sample is taken, how to care for the site, and how results will be shared. Pathology interpretation belongs to your physician and the practice record. This website does not display biopsy results.
Current patients: if you are waiting on a result, or you were asked to return for treatment, sign in to the Patient Portal or call the desk. Do not wait on a changing spot because a previous visit was “probably fine.”
Aftercare and surveillance
Once a skin cancer has been treated, we set a follow-up cadence that matches your risk — not a generic calendar. Self-checks at home still matter: once a month, in good light, including the scalp, back, and between the toes. Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, shade, and avoiding tanning beds lower the chance of the next one.
For reserved follow-up time after a skin check, see Concierge in the header.
Ready to be seen
Reading about care is open to everyone. Booking a visit, reviewing a result, or sending a personal concern is private — those steps use the Patient Portal.
This page is educational. It is not a diagnosis, a treatment plan, or a substitute for a physician visit. If a spot is bleeding, rapidly changing, or you are worried today, contact the practice or seek urgent care.