Basal cell skin cancer, also known as basal cell carcinoma, is the most common type of skin cancer, and it is also the most common type of cancer in the world. This particular skin cancer grows slowly and rarely spreads to any distant part of the body. If it isn't treated by a medical professional, though, basal cell skin cancer can cause disfigurement by growing into proximate bone and tissue. Basal cell skin cancer is so named because its cells look like basal cells found in the epidermis.

Both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are categorized as non-melanoma skin cancers as opposed to melanoma skin cancers, meaning that they grow and spread less aggressively than do melanomas. Squamous cell carcinoma, however, is more likely than basal cell carcinoma to metastasize, or spread to distant parts of the body. Though basal cell is the least dangerous of the three types of skin cancer, any changes in a person's skin should be examined by a doctor as soon as possible.

One of the major risk factors for basal cell skin cancer is overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, whether from the sun or from tanning booths. People who live in regions that receive high levels of UV radiation are at risk for developing basal cell carcinoma. Though basal cell skin cancer does not tend to develop until a person is older, it's important to start protecting oneself from UV radiation from an early age through the use of sunscreen. Basal cell carcinoma is also more likely to develop in people whose hair is red or blond and whose skin is light-colored.

Basal cell skin cancer causes changes to a person's skin, some subtle and others not so subtle. Some cancers don't look much different from normal skin and appear only as flesh-colored, raised bumps. Other cancers can be brown or pink in color. Basal cell skin cancers can also manifest as sore areas that never seem to heal, regions of dry, raw skin, or shiny growths that contain small, visible blood vessels. Most of these skin cancers appear on the head, face and neck, but they can arise anywhere on the body, including the scalp, torso and legs.

Doctors treat basal cell skin cancer by removing it, whether by excising the tumor or using curettage and electrodesiccation to scrape it away and then burn away any cancer cells that may persist. Surgery is sometimes needed to get rid of basal cell skin cancer. In cryosurgery, the cancer cells are killed by freezing, and in Mohs surgery, the area of carcinoma is cut away until no cancer cells remain. If a person has had basal cell skin cancer once, he or she is at risk for developing it again. Anyone who has been treated for basal cell carcinoma must be vigilant about checking for changes in his or her skin and limiting his or her exposure to UV radiation.