Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells. It occurs with DNA damage to skin cells, most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sun exposure or tanning beds, which leads skin cells to multiply rapidly and form malignant tumors. Nearly all skin cancers can grow locally and invade adjacent tissue, but some can also spread to distant sites (metastasize).

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. In fact, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined. At least 1 in 5 people will get a skin cancer sometime during his/her life. When detected and treated early, most types of skin cancer have very high cure rates.

As a board-certified dermatologist and skin cancer specialist, fellowship-trained in Mohs micrographic surgery with experience treating over 20,000 skin cancers, Dr. Nima Gharavi is a nationally recognized leader in the prevention, early detection, and management of skin cancers.