The difference between folliculitis and skin cancer

I believe that people know more about folliculitis than skin cancer. Although both are skin diseases, they are very different. However, they also have a similarity, that is, they must be treated in time. So what is the difference between folliculitis and skin cancer? Let's learn about it together.

Early skin cancer often presents as erythematous or papular lesions slightly above the skin surface, often accompanied by scaly desquamation or crust formation on the surface, with symptoms similar to benign folliculitis such as psoriasis, eczema, and inflammation. As the lesion further develops, certain characteristic signs will appear, such as a shiny, translucent papular nodule with bleeding on the surface and telangiectasia. Or a scar-like fibrous plaque with a smooth surface, without obvious telangiectasia, ulcers, and protrusions. Or there are small black spots in the lesion that merge with each other.
The above characteristics of skin cancer are very similar to the symptoms of certain precancerous lesions such as solar keratosis and keratoacanthoma, and it is difficult to distinguish them. Solar keratosis has rough erythema that is higher than the skin surface, and the surface is covered with scales. After removing the scales, the erythema often has no obvious protrusion. This is very similar to the erythema-like papules with clear boundaries and slightly higher than the skin surface of squamous cell carcinoma in situ, but the scales and crusts of the latter are more obvious, and the lesions are more substantial. Keratoacanthoma often occurs in exposed areas to sunlight. Without any warning signs, smooth red nodules will quickly appear within 2 to 3 weeks. There is a keratin embolus in the center, and dilated capillaries can be seen at the edge of the nodule. The nodules of squamous cell carcinoma that is distinguished from it are not smooth, and the edges of the nodules are translucent.