Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer in the United States, and Central Florida sees more than its share. Our sun sits high all year, the humidity keeps outdoor life going in every season, and the cumulative UV load on faces, ears, scalps, and necks adds up quickly, even for people who say they never lay out. Most BCCs trace back to years of everyday exposure, not a single bad burn.
The good news: caught early, BCC is highly treatable. It rarely spreads, but left alone it can grow into surrounding tissue and cause real damage, especially on the nose, eyelids, and ears.
What a Basal Cell Actually Looks Like
BCCs come in several patterns, but a handful of clues come up again and again in Orlando area clinics:
- A small, pearly or shiny bump with tiny visible blood vessels, often on the nose, cheek, forehead, or ear
- A pink or flesh-colored patch that looks slightly scaly or waxy and does not clear with moisturizer
- A sore that bleeds, scabs, and heals, then opens again in the same spot
- A shiny, firm, scar-like area on skin that has not been injured
- A rolled border around a small central dip or ulcer
Any spot that will not heal within a few weeks deserves a look, even if it is painless. Painless is normal for BCC, and that is one reason people wait too long.
Prevention and Early Detection
Daily sun protection is the single most useful habit. A broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher every morning, reapplied when you are outside for more than an hour or two, does a great deal of work. Add a wide-brim hat on the boat or the golf course, and UPF shirts for kids and adults alike. These habits reduce new BCCs and slow the ones your skin has already started to build.
Just as important is an annual full-body skin exam. A trained clinician can spot early lesions on the scalp, ears, back, and other places you cannot easily see yourself. If a spot looks suspicious, a small in-office skin biopsy confirms the diagnosis, and treatment is planned from there. Options range from a simple excision to Mohs surgery for higher-risk sites on the face.
Between visits, do a quick self-check once a month. A new spot, a changing spot, or a sore that will not heal is worth a call.
When to Come In
If you have noticed a pearly bump, a scaly pink patch, or a sore that keeps coming back, we would rather see it early than late. Our physician-led team in Central Florida performs full-body skin exams and same-visit biopsies when needed. Book a skin check and let us take a careful look.