A little rash which does not go away…

“What ? I got a disease ?” Bowen’s disease is a type of superficial skin cancer. It is also known as squamous cell carcinoma in-situ (SCC in-situ).

Despite what your beautician or cosmetic sales person tell you (that there are twenty layers of skin and there is a specific anti-ageing cream for each and every single layer of them that you could purchase), there are really only TWO layers of skin. The top layer (epidermis) and the thicker and tougher lower layer (dermis). When a skin cancer is confined to the top layer, it is called “in-situ”.

Bowen’s disease is therefore a type of superficial skin cancer which may just look like a small rash. It is often ignored until it has grown to considerable size. The main point to remember in telling it apart from a rash such as dermatitis / eczema / psoriasis is that Bowen’s disease does NOT come and go. It is there all the time and would increase in size slowly. So if you have a little rash that does not go away, see your Dr. (not just any “health care professional”).

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