What should you know about skin cancer red bump?

A skin cancer may present as a firm, shiny, scaly or crusted red bump that does not settle, repeatedly bleeds or changes over time. This is not a diagnosis: cellulitis, contact dermatitis, heat rash, psoriasis, rosacea, sunburn and other benign changes can also cause redness or raised skin. A clinician looks at the bump’s surface, border, firmness, location and timeline, and may use a dermatoscope or biopsy to identify the cause. A red bump can be one presentation of skin cancer, but most causes of a red bump are not established by the colour alone.

Take a clear photograph beside a familiar object for scale and record when the bump appeared, whether it is growing, and whether it crusts or bleeds. Avoid squeezing, picking or repeatedly treating it with home remedies. Use gentle skin care and protect the area from sun. Book a medical skin examination if it persists, changes, returns after healing or has no clear explanation. Bring details of recent products, bites, injuries and medicines.

Seek urgent care for a red bump with rapidly spreading warmth or swelling, severe pain, fever, marked illness, facial swelling or breathing difficulty. Arrange prompt assessment for repeated bleeding, an open sore, rapid enlargement, a hard fixed lump or a new change near the eye, nose or lip. Do not wait for pain: some concerning lesions are not painful.

Ask what features make the bump more or less concerning, whether a dermatoscope or biopsy is appropriate, what treatment is suitable if it is cancer, and how soon it should be reviewed. Clarify which changes require urgent contact.