After undergoing his sixth surgery for skin cancer, former Australia captain Michael Clarke gave a piece of advice to his followers: to get themselves checked.
"Skin cancer is real! Especially in Australia. Another one cut out of my nose today. A friendly reminder to get your skin checked. Prevention is better than cure but in my case, regular check ups and early detection is key," his post on Instagram reads.
The 44-year-old 2015 World Cup-winning skipper asked people to priortise their health and not take any signs for granted. He was first diagnosed with skin cancer in 2006 and has undergone several procedures since then. According to PTI, in 2019, he had three non-melanoma lesions removed, including one from his forehead.
What is skin cancer?
According to Mayo Clinic, skin cancer is a cancer that starts as a growth of cells on the skin. The cells can invade and destroy healthy body tissue. Sometimes the cells break away and spread to other parts of the body.
There are many kinds of skin cancer, among which basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the most common ones. The most dangerous form of skin cancer is melanoma, says Mayo Clinic. It is more likely to spread, making it harder to cure.
How is it caused?
Exposure to light from the sun is the primary cause of skin cancer.
As per the Cleveland Clinic, you are at an increased risk of developing skin cancer if you:
- Spend a considerable amount of time working or playing in the sun.
- Get easily sunburned or have a history of sunburns.
- Live in a sunny or high-altitude climate.
- Tan or use tanning beds.
- Have light-colored eyes, blond or red hair and fair or freckled skin.
- Have many moles or irregularly shaped moles.
- Have actinic keratosis (precancerous skin growths that are rough, scaly, dark pink-to-brown patches).
- Have a family history of skin cancer.
- Have had an organ transplant.
- Take medications that suppress or weaken your immune system.
- Have been exposed to UV light therapy for treating skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
Symptoms:
The following are some of the symptoms as suggested by experts in the Cleveland Clinic.
- A new mole or one that changes in size, shape or colour, or one that even bleeds.
- A pearly or waxy bump on the face, ears or neck.
- A flat, pink/red- or brown-colored patch or bump.
- Areas on your skin that look like scars.
- Sores that look crusty, have a depression in the middle or bleed often.
- A wound or sore that won’t heal, or that heals but comes back again.
- A rough, scaly lesion that might itch, bleed and become crusty.
For more information, consult a medical expert.
