Skin cancer usually shows up as a spot that is new, changing or not healing. A basal cell carcinoma (BCC) often looks like a pearly, pale or pink lump or a dry, scaly patch. A squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is usually a thickened, red, scaly spot that may crust. A melanoma is often a new or changing mole with uneven colour.
If you’ve found a spot that worries you, take a breath. Many spots turn out to be harmless. The useful thing is to know what to look for and what to do next, and that’s what this guide covers.
Why do Queenslanders need to check their skin so carefully?
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Australia. Cancer Council Australia estimates that at least two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. Melanoma Institute Australia notes that Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world, which is why melanoma is often called “Australia’s national cancer”.
Melanoma alone is common here. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimated 17,400 new cases of melanoma of the skin in Australia in 2025. That works out to about one diagnosis every 30 minutes, a figure Melanoma Institute Australia also uses.
Queensland carries more of this load than anywhere else in the country. According to Queensland Health, Queensland has the highest rate of skin cancer in Australia, and 4,249 Queenslanders were diagnosed with melanoma in 2022. Brisbane and the rest of South East Queensland have a lot of sun, a lot of outdoor living and plenty of fair skin. You don’t need to be fearful about it, but you should get familiar with your own skin.
What are the three main types of skin cancer?
There are three main types: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. They look different and behave differently, which is why it helps to know each one.
What does a basal cell carcinoma (BCC) look like?
A BCC is the most common type of skin cancer and the least dangerous. Cancer Council Australia describes it as red, pale or pearly in colour, appearing as a lump or a dry, scaly area.
It may bleed, scab over, seem to heal and then come back. It grows slowly, usually on skin that gets plenty of sun, such as the face, neck, shoulders and back. A BCC rarely spreads to other parts of the body, but it can grow into nearby tissue if left alone, so it still needs treating.
What does a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) look like?
An SCC usually appears as a thickened, red, scaly spot that may bleed easily, crust or ulcerate (break down into an open sore). It tends to grow over some months and is more common in people over 50.
SCCs often appear on the face, ears, scalp, forearms, backs of the hands and lower legs. Some become tender as they grow. They can spread if they aren’t treated, and SCCs on the lips and ears can behave more aggressively, so a scaly spot in those areas deserves prompt attention.
What does a melanoma look like?
Melanoma is the least common of the three but the most serious, because it can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated. It usually appears as a new spot, or an existing spot that changes in colour, size or shape.
Most melanomas are brown or black, often with more than one shade. Some are pink, red or skin coloured (amelanotic melanoma), and these are easy to dismiss as a pimple or a scar. Nodular melanoma is a fast-growing type that is often raised, firm, dome shaped and even in colour. It doesn’t always follow the usual rules, which is one reason any changing spot is worth showing to a doctor.
How do I use the ABCDE rule to check a mole?
The ABCDE rule is a simple checklist for spotting a possible melanoma. Cancer Council Australia uses this version:
| Letter | What to look for |
|---|---|
| A: Asymmetry | If you drew a line through the middle, the two halves wouldn’t match. |
| B: Border | The edge is spreading, irregular or notched. |
| C: Colour | The spot is blotchy, with several colours such as black, blue, red, white or grey. |
| D: Diameter | The spot is getting bigger. |
| E: Evolving | The spot is changing or growing. |
Then there’s the “ugly duckling” sign. Most of your moles look alike. A spot that looks different from all the others, darker, lighter, larger or just odd, deserves a closer look, even if it doesn’t tick any ABCDE box.
For raised spots, some doctors add EFG: elevated, firm and growing. These features can point to nodular melanoma, which the ABCDE rule can miss.
How do I do a skin check at home?
Cancer Council Australia’s advice is to get to know your skin and what is normal for you, so you notice changes. It doesn’t set a strict schedule. Instead, it suggests making skin checks a regular habit and talking to your doctor about your level of risk.
Here’s a simple way to do it:
- Undress completely and stand in good light.
- Use a full-length mirror for the front and sides, and a hand mirror for hard-to-see areas.
- Ask a partner, family member or friend to check your back and scalp.
- Check your whole body, including skin that rarely sees the sun: the soles of your feet, between your fingers and toes, and under your nails.
- Don’t forget behind your ears, your neck and your scalp (a hairdryer can help part the hair).
A lot of people tie their check to a date that’s easy to remember, like the first of the month or the start of a new season. Photos of any spot you’re keeping an eye on make it easier to compare later on. Checking at home is useful, but it doesn’t take the place of a skin check by a doctor. If your risk is higher, ask your GP how often you should be seen.
Which spots should be checked by a doctor?
You don’t need to be certain something is wrong before you book an appointment. See your GP or a skin cancer clinic if you notice any of the following:
- a sore that doesn’t heal, or heals and keeps coming back
- a mole that is new, or one that changes in size, shape or colour
- a spot that bleeds, weeps, itches or tingles
- a spot that becomes raised or develops a lump within it
- a mole whose surface becomes rough, scaly or ulcerated
- a spot that looks different from the others
- a new mole that appears after the age of 25
Your GP will examine the spot, often with a dermatoscope (a handheld magnifying light). If it looks suspicious, they may take a biopsy, a small sample of tissue sent to a laboratory. Many changes turn out to be harmless, but a check is the only way to know.
When does a skin cancer need a specialist plastic surgeon?
Most small skin cancers are managed well by GPs and skin cancer doctors. A referral to a specialist plastic surgeon is usually considered when:
- the lesion is large, or the wound left after removal is likely to be large
- it sits on a cosmetically or functionally sensitive area such as the face, nose, ears, lips or eyelids
- closing the wound is likely to need a skin flap (nearby skin moved into place) or a skin graft (skin taken from another area)
- a melanoma has been confirmed and needs a wider excision
Here’s how the referral usually works. Your GP or skin cancer doctor writes a referral, and you book a consultation with the specialist. In Brisbane, that might mean visiting rooms in Spring Hill to talk through your biopsy results, the planned surgery and how the wound will be closed. You’ll need a referral to see a specialist.
What happens after a suspicious spot is found?
The first step is usually a biopsy. The tissue goes to a pathologist for histology (laboratory analysis of the tissue under a microscope), which confirms whether it is cancer, what type it is and, for melanoma, how deep it goes.
From there, your doctor plans treatment. For most skin cancers this means surgical excision: removing the cancer with a margin (a border of normal-looking skin around it). The removed tissue is checked again to confirm the margins are clear. Some superficial BCCs can be treated with creams or other non-surgical options instead. If you’d like to understand the surgical side in more detail, you can read about skin cancer surgery in Brisbane.
Surgery is the most common treatment for skin cancer, and like any surgery it carries risks. These can include:
- scarring, or changes in skin colour around the scar
- infection
- bleeding, bruising or swelling
- wound healing problems, including problems with a flap or graft
- reactions to anaesthesia
- the need for further surgery if the margins are not clear
- the cancer coming back, at the same site or elsewhere
Surgery aims to remove the cancer completely and gives the pathologist tissue to confirm the diagnosis. Results vary between patients, and your surgeon should talk you through the risks for your particular case before you decide anything.
Frequently asked questions
Can skin cancer look like a pimple?
Yes. An early basal cell carcinoma can look like a small pearly or pink bump, much like a pimple. The difference is that it does not clear up. If a spot bleeds, scabs over, seems to heal and then returns, or has not healed within a few weeks, ask your GP to check it.
Is skin cancer usually painful?
Usually not. Cancer Council Australia notes that skin cancers rarely hurt and are much more frequently seen than felt. A squamous cell carcinoma can become tender or sore as it grows, but many skin cancers cause no discomfort at all. A painless spot that is new, changing or not healing still needs checking.
How quickly does melanoma grow?
There’s no set speed. Some melanomas change slowly over months. Nodular melanoma can grow quickly, sometimes over a few weeks, and it’s often raised, firm and one colour (it can be red or pink rather than dark). Since you can’t tell how fast a spot will change, it’s better to have a new or changing spot looked at soon than to keep watching it yourself.
Can you have skin cancer without sun exposure?
Yes. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes most skin cancers, but they can also appear on skin that rarely sees the sun, such as the soles of the feet, between the toes and under the nails. Other risk factors include fair skin, past sunburn, past solarium use, a weakened immune system, family history and some chemical exposures, such as arsenic.
What colour is a melanoma?
Most melanomas are brown or black, often with more than one shade in the same spot. Some show patches of blue, grey, red, pink or white, and some have little or no pigment at all (amelanotic melanoma). Uneven colour, or a spot that changes colour over time, is a reason to see your doctor.
Should I see a GP or a plastic surgeon about a suspicious spot?
Your GP or a skin cancer clinic is usually the first stop. They’ll look at the spot and take a biopsy if it’s needed. You may then be referred to a specialist plastic surgeon if the lesion is large or on your face, or if it’s a confirmed melanoma that needs a wider excision and reconstruction.
Why choose Dr Justin Perron for skin cancer surgery in Brisbane
Dr Justin Perron (MBBS, FRACS Plastics) is a Specialist Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon. He completed his Australian Fellowship in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). His training took him from South East Queensland to Perth in Western Australia, and he has worked throughout Queensland, from Townsville to Brisbane, Redcliffe, Caboolture and the Gold Coast.
Dr Perron presents at surgical conferences, has published articles in a number of journals and keeps up to date with developments across plastic and reconstructive surgery. His work in skin cancer surgery includes planning the excision and the reconstruction, such as a flap or graft, so the wound is closed with both function and appearance in mind.
He currently operates at The Wesley Hospital, St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, Brisbane Private Hospital and Spring Hill Specialist Day Hospital. His private rooms are at Herstellen Clinic, 490 Boundary Street, Spring Hill, Brisbane QLD 4000. AHPRA registration: MED0000959827.
A referral from your GP or treating specialist is required for a consultation. You can read more about Dr Perron’s background and professional memberships here:
- About Dr Perron
- Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS) profile
- Plastic Surgery Hub profile
Disclaimer: This article is general information, not personal medical advice. Any surgery, skin cancer surgery included, has risks, and results differ from one person to the next. Talk to your GP and a qualified specialist before you decide on any treatment.
Further reading
- Reconstruction after skin cancer and melanoma removal: what to expect
- Melanoma skin cancer surgery: the basics
- Is skin cancer surgery serious?
- Skin lesion removal in Brisbane
Medical references
- Cancer Council Australia: Check for signs of skin cancer. https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/check-for-signs-of-skin-cancer
- Cancer Council Australia: Early detection of skin cancer: position statement. https://www.cancer.org.au/about-us/policy-and-advocacy/prevention/uv-radiation/related-resources/early-detection-of-skin-cancer
- Cancer Council Australia: Skin cancer incidence and mortality. https://www.cancer.org.au/about-us/policy-and-advocacy/prevention/uv-radiation/related-resources/skin-cancer-incidence-and-mortality
- Cancer Council NSW: About melanoma skin cancer. https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/melanoma/about-melanoma/
- healthdirect Australia: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC). https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/basal-cell-carcinoma
- healthdirect Australia: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/squamous-cell-carcinoma
- healthdirect Australia: Skin cancer and melanoma. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/skin-cancer-and-melanomas
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Cancer data in Australia: melanoma of the skin in Australia. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/cancer/cancer-data-in-australia/contents/cancer-data-commentaries/melanoma-of-the-skin-in-australia
- Melanoma Institute Australia: Melanoma facts. https://melanoma.org.au/about-melanoma/melanoma-facts/
- Queensland Health: Skin cancer prevention: information for health professionals. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/public-health/topics/skin-cancer-prevention/health-professionals
- Mayo Clinic: Skin cancer: symptoms and causes. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/skin-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20377605
