Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world — about 2 in 3 Australians will be diagnosed with a skin cancer in their lifetime. The good news is that, caught early, most skin cancers are very treatable. This is the complete plain-English guide: the types, the warning signs, who is at risk, how to prevent it, and how to get a spot reviewed.
Related: skin cancer by body area.
The three main types of skin cancer
Skin cancer is not one disease. The three main types look and behave differently:
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) — the most common by far. It grows slowly and rarely spreads, and often appears as a pearly bump, a pink patch, or a sore that will not heal. Very treatable when caught early. Read the full BCC guide →
- Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) — the second most common. Usually a scaly, crusty or tender spot that grows. Unlike a BCC it can spread if left, so it needs timely treatment. Read the full SCC guide →
- Melanoma — less common but the most serious, because it can spread. It usually appears as a new or changing mole, though nodular and amelanotic types can look pink or skin-coloured. Read the full melanoma guide →
Basal cell carcinomaOften a pearly bump, or a sore that will not heal
Squamous cell carcinomaA raised, scaly or crusted spot that grows
MelanomaA dark, asymmetric mole with uneven colourThe warning signs
Whatever the type, the same themes keep coming up. Have a spot checked if it is:
- New and unusual, especially in an adult.
- Changing in size, shape or colour.
- Growing steadily.
- Bleeding, crusting, or itching persistently.
- Not healing — a spot that keeps coming back in the same place.
See more on skin cancer symptoms and what skin cancer looks like.
The ABCDE rule for moles
For moles specifically, the ABCDE checklist is a useful guide — any one feature is worth checking: Asymmetry, irregular Border, uneven Colour, Diameter over about 6 mm, and Evolving (changing). The most reliable everyday sign is the “ugly duckling” — a mole that stands out from your others. More on whether a mole is skin cancer and when to worry about a mole.
What’s often harmless
Many spots look worrying but are benign: seborrhoeic keratoses, skin tags, age spots, actinic keratoses, cherry angiomas and milia — see the full guide to telling harmless spots from skin cancer and sun damage & pigmentation. The difficulty is that some cancers mimic these and some benign spots mimic cancer — which is where an expert eye, using dermoscopy, matters.
Who is most at risk
Fair skin, a history of sunburn or high sun exposure, many moles, a personal or family history of skin cancer, older age and a weakened immune system all raise risk — but skin cancer can affect anyone. See the full list of skin cancer risk factors.
Prevention
Most skin cancers are caused by UV exposure, so sun protection and avoiding sunburn are the biggest levers — along with knowing your own skin so you notice change early. See how to prevent skin cancer.
How to get a spot checked
If a specific spot is worrying you, you do not have to wait weeks. Upload a photo and an Australian GP with a special interest in skin cancer medicine 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. For a full head-to-toe examination, see your GP or a skin-cancer clinic in person. You can also read what to expect from an online review or how much a skin check costs.
An online photo review is not a diagnosis and cannot rule cancer in or out.