What is "skin cancer"?

What is "skin cancer"?

Harry Saperstein, MD, FAAD (Dermatologist, Clinical Assoc. Professor, Medicine, Private Practice and UCLA) gives expert video advice on: Why is the sun harmful to my skin? and more...

Skin cancer is an abnormality of the cells of the skin or cells that reside in the skin. It's an abnormality of the way the cells either grow or behave. In the vernacular, when we speak of skin cancer, we talk about three different types of skin cancer. The first is basal cell carcinoma, the second is squamous cell carcinoma, and there's malignant melanoma. These are the most frequent cancers in humankind and are prevalent throughout the United States.