Tanning beds may give you the opportunity to get a beautiful tint to your skin, but they are also dangerous. The beds are able to give you results due to the ultraviolet radiation that they emit, which can cause basal skin cancer. Below, find out what causes basal skin cancer and how a dermatologist can treat it if you have it.

What is the Cause of Basal Skin Cancer?

Basal skin cancer can most commonly be found in people with fair skin, and it is caused from too much exposure to ultraviolet radiation from the sun or tanning beds. The condition causes cells to accumulate on the lowest layer of your skin. When viewed with a microscope, the cancer is seen as a small cluster of cells.

Did you know that using indoor tanning beds can increase your risk of basal skin cancer by approximately 69% because of the high amount of radiation? The risks are even greater for those who tan a lot during high school.

There are many symptoms associated with basal skin cancer, including:

• Moles that are shiny
• The appearance of scarred skin
• Sores that don't seem to heal
• Patches of skin that appear pink

The good news about basal skin cancer is that it can take a long time for you to get it. When you have growths on your skin, hiring a dermatologist like Allergy Asthma and Dermatology Associates to remove them can prevent them from turning into cancer. The growths are usually nonmalignant when they first develop, and the cells often remain stationary in a single area of the body.

How Can a Dermatologist Treat Basal Skin Cancer?

A dermatologist will give you a biopsy to confirm that you have basal skin cancer. A biopsy is a procedure in which a small portion of the growth on your skin will be removed, but first the area will be numbed with a local anesthesia. After the sample is taken, it will be examined in a laboratory with a microscope to determine if the cells have turned into cancer.

If basal skin cancer is found in the cells, the dermatologist may perform microscopic surgery to get rid of it. The procedure will be carried out by the physician removing the growth and a thin layer of the skin. Multiple layers of your skin may have to be removed, depending on how soon the cancerous cells are no longer present when seen under a microscope.

Don't just assume that growths on your skin are not harmful, especially if you are in the habit of using tanning beds. Make an appointment with a dermatologist each time there are unusual growths developing to get treated before they turn into basal skin cancer.