Eczema vs. Skin Cancer, know the signs before its too late

In the 'Eczema vs. Skin Cancer' debate it might become difficult to differentiate between the two. Considering both of these conditions show similar signs, it is necessary to understand both conditions in order to prevent unnecessary scare or carelessness. The best way to differentiate between the two is to talk to your doctor.

The similarity between the two conditions collide in their symptoms. In both Eczema as well as skin cancer we can observe the presence of itchiness, and red and scaly patches on the skin. To create a line between the two, let us look more into 'Eczema vs. Skin Cancer' conditions and how to differentiate between the two.

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Eczema vs. Skin Cancer: Understanding the difference

Eczema vs. Skin Cancer: Difference between the two (Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash)

Eczema is also popularly known as atopic dermatitis. This is an inflammatory skin condition where one can observe itchiness, dryness, or scaly patches in the skin. This is quite common and can occur to anyone at any point.

This skin condition does not last for long and can be managed with medication or treating the symptoms.

Skin cancer, on the other hand, can be of variety. Some of them are entirely different from the symptoms that we observe in eczema and are not much of a concern as they are not like eczema. However, some types of it have similar characteristics to that of eczema like itching, pain, or scaly lesions.

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How do we differentiate through the symptoms?

Eczema vs. Skin Cancer (Image by wirestock on Freepik) Eczema vs. Skin Cancer Eczema vs. Skin Cancer

The types that resemble with eczema are typically Actinic Keratosis, Basal cell carcinoma, and Squamous cell carcinoma.

Actinic Keratosis can occur due to long sun exposure, causing rough and scaly lesions on the face, neck, or body parts exposed to the sun. Similarly, Squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma occur when the respective cells are affected, leading to eczema-like symptoms.

Now differentiating between these can be quite problematic unless you are a medical professional.

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Based on the distribution of lesions

Eczema vs. Skin Cancer (Image by stefamerpik on Freepik)

The key difference to notice is to look at the distribution of the lesions on your body. In terms of skin cancer, the lesions are more likely to occur in the sun exposed area and do not occur throughout the body. In eczema, you are more likely to get the symptoms in several parts of the body and are generally larger in size.

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Age

Eczema vs Skin Cancer (Photo by Johnny Cohen on Unsplash)

Another aspect to be considered is age. Yes! age can also be a condition. If the lesions are at an early age, it is more likely to be eczema. Skin cancer is more probable in adults.

However, if suspected, it is advisable to get it checked by a doctor in order to avoid unnecessary troubles.

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People with severe eczema can face difficulty in diagnosing skin cancer as they might ignore the symptoms of eczema. So it is necessary to get regular checkups for skin cancer as symptoms may go unnoticed.

Eczema is a common and treatable condition, however, it is important to keep a check on your health and not ignore the possibility of skin cancer.