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How To Spot The Difference Between Age Spots And Skin Cancer - Expert On Warning Signs

Skin cancer: Dr Chris outlines the signs of a melanoma

Melanoma refers to a type of skin cancer that can spread to other areas of the body, claiming around 16,700 new victims in the UK every year.

Monitoring your skin and spotting any unusual changes is key when trying to detect skin cancer.

However, spotting the difference between age spots, also known as liver spots, and skin cancer can be challenging.

Dr Ross Perry, the Medical Director of Cosmedics Skin Clinics, said: "Age spots and skin cancer can have similarities and if you're worried, it's best to get it checked out."

However, several key characteristics can help distinguish between the two.

How to spot the difference between age spots and skin cancer - expert. (Image: GETTY)

Age spots usually look like small, flat, brown or black patches on areas that are frequently exposed to the sun - think face, hands, shoulders and arms.

While skin cancer also occurs in these areas, there is one key difference.

Age spots are usually uniform in colour and have well-defined edges.

Dr Perry said: "Skin cancer will often have a jagged border and is more than one colour, whereas an age spot should look more like a freckle."

Age spots usually look like small, flat, brown or black patches. (Image: GETTY)

Furthermore, age spots may increase in number and become slightly darker, but they typically remain unchanged.

Perry said: "Melanoma can grow very quickly and can be life-threatening in as little as six weeks.

"You can get a new mole at any time, or a change to an existing mole, which is when you do need to get it checked out."

Another difference comes down to the texture of age spots and skin cancer.

Skin cancer may appear rough, scaly, warty, ulcerated or even bleed. (Image: GETTY)

While age spots are usually flat and smooth, skin cancer may appear rough, scaly, warty, ulcerated or even bleed.

Furthermore, age spots don't cause any discomfort or warning sensations.

However, skin cancer can be accompanied by various symptoms, including itching, tenderness, pain, or bleeding.

Perry added: "If you find a lesion on your body, it's best to visit your GP or dermatologist immediately. They will be able to identify whether there is cause for concern."

Doctor: What I Didn't Know Until I Got Skin Cancer

Editor's Note: Susannah Hills is a pediatric airway surgeon and assistant professor and vice chair of the Department of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the Columbia University Medical Center. The opinions expressed in this commentary are her own. View more opinion at CNN. 

As a practicing physician, my life revolves around caring for my patients, helping them stay healthy, educating them about diseases and picking up on the signs of health concerns that need to be addressed. A few weeks ago, however, it became painfully obvious that I had missed the signs of my own major health issue.

Dr. Susannah Hills - John Abbott

To my surprise, I was diagnosed with skin cancer on my scalp. The diagnosis of basal cell cancer, and the fact that I ignored it for so long, have really made me pause to reflect on my own health habits and some common misconceptions about skin cancer.

For over a year, I thought I had an irregular patch of skin behind my left ear.  It was covered by my hair, so it was easy to ignore. I watched this skin peel and scab.  I thought it was eczema, which I have had for many years, put hydrocortisone didn't help.  I finally went to the dermatologist, much later than I should have considering my medical background, and I had a biopsy.  Basal cell cancer.  Another was found on my neck right after that.

I was bewildered. I thought I had been protecting myself from sun exposure so carefully. I spend most of my waking hours indoors at the hospital and still I wear sunscreen every day. I hardly have time for sunbathing and on those rare occasions when I'm in the sun for an extended time, I try to cover up.

As it turns out, my skin cancer has probably been brewing for decades, the result of genetics and basking in the sun many years ago.  Damage from the sun's UV rays is cumulative, increasing the risk of cancer over time.  Just five blistering sunburns among 15- to 20-year-olds can increase the risk of melanoma by 80% and two other skin cancers, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, by 68%, according to research published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention. So, I'm probably seeing effects of my early years at the beach now.

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My mother also had multiple skin cancers, so my risk of getting one myself was significantly higher. When there is a family history of skin cancer, the risk of early-onset basal cell cancer is more than doubled, per the journal Cancer Epidemiology, the risk of squamous cell cancer is increased four-fold, according to the journal Dermatologic Surgery, and the risk of melanoma is increased by 74%, as reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Still, it seemed so strange to me that my skin cancer showed up on my scalp, underneath a covering of hair. Wouldn't sun-exposed areas like my nose, forehead, or chin be more susceptible?

With a little research, I discovered that 13% of skin cancers involve the scalp, according to an article in the Journal of the German Society of Dermatology. Skin cancer can show up in all kinds of unusual spots — the eyelids, palms of the hands and soles of the feet.  And with the popularity of gel manicures, which use direct UV light to the hands and nails, there is increasing risk of skin cancers in the cuticles and beneath the nails.

Skin cancers can also happen in all types of skin.  Malignancies are far more common in light complexions, but cancer of skin with darker pigmentation is often caught later, with higher mortality rates. Everyone is at risk.

Now more than ever, developing good sun protection habits is so important because the risk of developing skin cancer is escalating at an alarming rate. It is estimated by the American Academy of Dermatology that one in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, and rates of nonmelanoma skin cancer have increased 33% across the globe since 2007, according to JCO Global Oncology. Many experts attribute this trend to factors such as climate change, global warming and increased exposure to harmful UV rays.  Despite this mounting risk, our efforts in skin cancer prevention and early detection are woefully inadequate, with too many people failing to get regular skin exams.

It is up to each of us to develop good sun protection habits early and to learn when to seek medical care for unusual skin changes.  Irregularities like changes in color, irregular borders of moles and freckles, skin wounds that don't seem to heal and areas of chronic peeling or scabbing should never be ignored. An exam should be done every year to monitor unusual skin changes, or if you are at higher risk for developing skin cancer.

This summer, protect yourself.  Slather on that sunscreen, wear a hat and seek shade whenever possible. And that peculiar patch of skin you've been ignoring?  Don't put off getting it checked out any longer.  I learned the hard way that anyone can get skin cancer and it can show up where you least expect.  The earlier you catch it, the better your odds, so go see your doctor. I'm glad I did.

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The Different Types Of Skin Cancer (and How To Spot Them)

The different types of skin cancer, explainedcdwheatley - Getty Images

Right now, skin cancer is on the rise, but do you know what you should be looking for when you check your moles?

According to the latest figures from Cancer Research UK, melanoma skin cancer cases have reached a record high among all age groups, with 17,500 people diagnosed each year in the UK. There's also scope for rates to increase by at least 50% over the next 20 years, which means by 2040, there could be 26,500 cases a year. While we hate to say it, a rise in travel and spending more time abroad is partly to blame for the increase.

Alongside these stats, skin cancer awareness has also been a trending topic of conversation thanks to Khloé Kardashian bravely sharing her experience with melanoma.

Peter Cade - Getty Images

During the latest season of The Kardashians, the first few episodes were mainly focused on the 39-year-old, who at the time, was undergoing tests for a "tiny little dot" on her face that she thought was acne.

Speaking on the show, she revealed: "I have done one biopsy on this bump that I just assumed was a zit, turns out it's not a zit."

"This was way more serious than either I understood or I anticipated it to be," she later said.

Following an operation to remove the tumour, thankfully, Koko got the all-clear. But she has since made sure to shed light on the disease and has repeatedly urged fans to get regular checkups. After all, they could be potentially lifesaving.

In light of this worrying increase, we spoke to Georgina Hill, Cancer Research UK's former health information officer to give the professional and medical spiel.

"Although skin cancer isn't one of the most common causes of cancer death, in recent years more people have been getting and dying from the disease. You can reduce your risk by ditching sunbeds and avoiding too much sun by seeking shade, covering up with clothing and regularly reapplying sunscreen on parts that aren't covered up."

"When skin cancers are spotted early, treatment is more likely to work. So it's important you get to know how your skin normally looks and feels. And if you notice a change that doesn't go away, like a spot, sore or itching, it's best to get it checked out by a doctor."

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With that, let's unpack the different types of skin cancers, what to look out for, and what to do, if like Khloé, what you think is a spot is actually something a little more serious...

What are the different types of skin cancer?

There are two main variants of skin cancer - melanoma and non-melanoma - but one is considered to be more worrying than the other. Georgina explains: "When we talk about skin cancer, we're actually talking about a number of different types, but the most serious type is melanoma skin cancer.

"Too much UV from the sun or sunbeds causes most cases of skin cancer, but a person's risk depends on a combination of things, including their skin type."

Melanoma is the third most common cancer in people aged 25-39 but almost 90% of cases could be prevented if people took better care of their skin in the sun both at home and abroad. Getting sunburnt, just once every two years, can triple the risk of melanoma skin cancer.

Getty Images

In terms of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, here's EYNTK...

Non-melanoma types: Basal cell carcinoma

Dr Vishal Madan from the Wilmslow Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, tells Cosmopolitan: "Sometimes referred to as a rodent ulcer, this type of cancer presents itself as a non-healing ulcer or a flat red patch with visibly raised blood vessels, or as a skin coloured lump anywhere on the body."

"It's a very slow growing cancer which is associated with very few symptoms and isn't usually known to spread. For this reason the cancer is often not detected early and is neglected. If left for too long, it can break the skin, bleed, get infected or, in rare instances, invade the bone and local tissues."

SCC or Squamous cell carcinoma

"This type of skin cancer is known to be a more aggressive, non-healing sore or rapidly growing lump which can feel tender to touch," says Dr Vishal. "They are often found on sun damaged areas, or on chronic wounds or ulcers. This cancer is very capable of spreading to local lymph nodes so should be diagnosed and treated as quickly as possible."

Catherine Falls Commercial - Getty Images

Melanoma types: Superficial spreading melanoma

Dr Arun Thiyagarajan, Medical Director at Bupa Health Clinics tells Cosmopolitan: "This is the most common type, and is diagnosed in middle aged people and tends to grow outwards, rather than downwards into the skin. It is not at risk of spreading to other parts of the body until it begins to grow downwards into deeper layers of the skin.

"Superficial spreading melanoma can be raised or flat with irregular shape and borders. Usually it is brown, tan, black, red, blue or even white and can change slowly over the course of several years. Appearing in the torso of men, the legs of women and upper back of both sexes, the lesions can sometimes be itchy and uncomfortable."

Nodular melanoma

"This can grow quite quickly downwards and deeper into the skin," says Dr Arun. "This type of melanoma cancer is often a raised area on the skin surface. It is usually brownish black, or black and is found in areas most exposed to the sun."

Jonathan Storey - Getty Images

Lentigo maligna melanoma

"This develops from very slow growing pigmented areas of the skin. This type of skin cancer is flat and grows outwards in the surface layers of the skin. Over time, it may increase in size and change shape. Nodules or lumps are then formed if the melanoma grows into the deeper layers of the skin.

"Lentigo maligna is most common in elderly people, appearing in areas that get a lot of sun exposure. As this form of cancer appears on the face, it can be similar to a freckle or age spot. Usually a shade of brown, they can also be pink, red or white."

Acrallentiginous melanoma

"A rare type of cancer, but is usually found in dark skinned people. It is most commonly seen in the palms of hands and soles of feet but can also grow under the nails. This type of cancer appears as flat brown/black margins which enlarge slowly and cause no pain."

Amelanotic melanoma

"This tends to have no, or very little colour. Occasionally they are pink or red, or have light brown or grey around the edges. This type of cancer is rare and difficult to diagnose due to the lack of colour and can be mistaken for other conditions of the skin."

How concerning is each type of skin cancer?

As with all cancers, it depends very much on how soon you catch it and whether it has spread. "Skin cancer occurs when a previously normal cell undergoes a transformation and begins to grow abnormally and multiply," says Dr Arun.

"As these cells multiply, they form a mass or tumour. If the tumour is benign, it is non-cancerous and is unlikely to spread, if it is malignant, cells are cancerous and can spread to other tissues and organs."

With love of photography - Getty Images

"When it comes to skin cancer, melanoma cancer is by far the most aggressive and more commonly known. It is found in areas most exposed to the sun and the risk of getting skin cancer grows with age."

If you keep a regular check on your moles, you should be able to spot any changes quickly. "Non-melanoma cancers can be treated if identified early; cure rates for type BCC is high, around 90%," says Dr Arun. "Patients who have been treated for non-melanoma cancers will need to monitor the affected area after their treatment and seek advice from their GP or dermatologist if they spot any further changes."

What should you do if you think you might have skin cancer?

"The best advice would be to visit a GP or dermatologist if you spot any area of the skin that is changing in colour, shape or size," Dr Arun suggests. "If moles appear to be getting bigger, becoming itchy, inflamed or bleeding these can be an indication of something more serious going on.

"If you spend a lot of time exposed to the sun, you are at a greater risk of developing skin cancer."

He adds: "With most non-melanoma cancers, they can be treated if found early enough so pay close attention to your body if you are concerned about a certain area. Taking photographs of concerning areas is a great way to monitor change. If you start to see differences, book an appointment to get it looked at by a professional. It's better to be safe than sorry!"

So, what are the basic skin cancer signs to look out for?

So, to recap. While our experts have explained all of the different types of skin cancers - both cancerous and not - it's worth reiterating the basic signs to look out for in general, all reported by Cancer Research UK. If you notice any of the following - don't panic - just make sure you book a trip to your local GP to get whatever it is checked out...

A sore that doesn't heal

Anything see-through, shiny, pink, pearly white, or red that's sore and rough with raised edges could be a red flag.

Ulcer

If it hasn't healed within four weeks, head to the docs.

A lump

It could be small, shiny, pink or red, and slow growing.

Red patches on the skin

This could be a completely non-cancerous situation, but if they're itchy, it's worth getting checked just in case.

Freckles or moles

Any changes to current moles or freckles or new ones cropping up on your skin could be a melanoma symptom.

Dr Vishal Madan is a Consultant Dermatologist, Laser and Dermatological Surgeon. Dr Madan specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of all skin conditions. He has a special interest in skin cancer treatment.

Dr Arun Thiyagarajan is Medical Director at Bupa Health Clinics.

For more information on skin cancer visit the NHS. Book an appointment with your GP via the NHS or Bupa.

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