When you go to the beach, how often do you apply or reapply sunscreen to your feet? In all likelihood, not very often. Even if you are good about sunscreen on your shoulders, back, and face, many people are not so good about covering up their feet. During routine checkups, doctors often overlook the feet, meaning that by the time any skin cancer is actually found, it is often at a later stage, particularly if there was not any indication of skin cancer. When skin cancer is found on one’s feet, it is typically found because of an unrelated issue near the site of the cancer.
Common cancers found in feet include malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. These can be caused because of viruses, genetics, continual inflammation/irritation, chemical exposure, and more. Skin cancer of the foot tends to look much different than typical skin cancer, meaning that you cannot base if you need a check-up off if you have a mole or not. Anything from a mole to a bump or a patch on the skin that is asymmetrical, has uneven borders or is an odd color could potentially be skin cancer. Along with this, if the area is larger than six millimeters in diameter, you should set up an appointment with a podiatrist. Other signs include spontaneous ulcers, sores that aren’t healing, scaly areas, or bumps that crack or bleed. If you notice any of these symptoms, make an appointment with a podiatrist right away.
Courtesy of: American Podiatric Medical Association