Mohs has a nice cosmetic effect. It minimizes the scarring tissue. Regardless of the treatment, doctors urge people to see a doctor immediately if they suspect skin cancer. Even though basal and squamous cell carcinomas usually don't spread the same way that melanomas do, they can cause serious problems for some people. Danger is greater for the fair-skinned All forms of skin cancer are on the rise, despite increased public awareness about the dangers of too much sun.
Statistics also show that skin cancer is first appearing in younger people.
Experts attribute this increase to a number of factors, including the depletion of the atmospheric ozone layer that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. While the average age of skin cancer patients has traditionally been 50, the American Cancer Society reports that the incidence of skin cancer among people under age 40 has been steadily increasing for the past decade. Melanoma begins in cells called melanocytes, which produce the dark, protective skin pigment called melanin. When exposed to sunlight, melanin increases to form a protective layer and tanning. Melanoma develops when the melanocytes mutate into cancer cells.