Skin Cancer on the Arms and Hands: What To Watch For

Arms and the backs of the hands get constant sun. Here is what to look for.

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Written & reviewed by Dr Rupinder Singh Walia — MBBS, FRACGP, Dip. Dermatology (Cardiff, UK) · AHPRA MED0001647256 · special interest in skin cancer medicine & dermoscopy

The forearms and the backs of the hands get constant sun — think driving, gardening, outdoor work — so this is a common area for sun-damage spots, actinic keratoses and skin cancers. If a spot on your arms and hands is worrying you, a doctor can review a photo of it for $49 and tell you whether it needs an in-person look.

What to look for on the arms and hands

The warning signs are the same anywhere on the body — a spot that is new, changing, growing, bleeding, or will not heal, or a mole that stands out from your others. On the arms and hands, watch especially for:

A rough, scaly or crusty patch (see actinic keratosis).
A sore that won’t heal.
A new or changing mole.

The three skin cancers on the arms and hands

Basal cell carcinoma — a pearly bump or a sore that will not heal.
Squamous cell carcinoma — a scaly, crusty or tender spot that grows.
Melanoma — a new or changing mole, or one that looks different from your others.

Get a spot reviewed

Upload a photo and Dr Walia reviews it, providing written next-step advice from the submitted photographs, including when an in-person examination is appropriate — $49 flat. Get a spot reviewed. Learn more about skin cancer.

Not a diagnosis; cannot rule cancer in or out. For a full skin check, see your GP or a skin-cancer clinic in person.

Worried about a mole, mark or changing skin area?

Most skin-cancer advice tells you to watch for change. Skin360AI helps you keep photos of one or more spots connected over time. A spot can be a mole, freckle, mark, lump, sore, patch or any skin area you want to watch. It is not a diagnosis and cannot rule skin cancer in or out.

If a lesion is new, changing, bleeding, non-healing or worrying you, arrange an in-person GP or skin-cancer clinic assessment.

Frequently asked questions

Is skin cancer common on the arms?

Yes — the forearms and the backs of the hands receive a lot of cumulative sun (for example while driving or outdoors), so sun-damage spots and skin cancers are common there.

What does skin cancer on the hands look like?

Often a rough, scaly or crusty patch (which can be an actinic keratosis or squamous cell carcinoma), a sore that will not heal, or a new or changing mole.

Are scaly spots on my arms dangerous?

Many are harmless sun-damage or actinic keratoses, but because a small number can become squamous cell carcinoma, a scaly spot that thickens, grows or bleeds is worth checking.