Just a pimple?

Not all skin cancers are black and raised. In fact, the most common skin cancer in Australia usually doesn't have any colour to it. These are called basal cell carcinomas (BCC).

BCC's belong to a group of cancers called non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSC). In 2016, over 900,000 NMSC were treated in Australia alone. The risk of developing a BCC increases dramatically with sun damage and exposure. The more sun damage you skin has seen, the more likely a BCC will occur.

They are most commonly slow growing and often go unnoticed by most people. They frequently look like a small pimple. If left long enough they can start to ulcerate, invade surrounding structures such as nerves, and can cause local tissue damage.

The pictures below demonstrate a BCC with appearance to the naked eye and a view under the dermatoscope during a skin cancer check.

Pimples generally resolve over the course of 2-8 weeks. If it is persisting, you need to ask yourself - is it something more?