Signs and Symptoms of Skin CancerThe different types of skin cancer can look different and may be more likely to appear in certain areas of your body. Basal Cell Carcinoma SymptomsBasal cell cancer can appear anywhere but tends to develop on parts of the body that get a lot of sun exposure, such as the face, head, and neck. Squamous Cell Carcinoma SymptomsLike basal cell cancer, squamous cell cancer tends to develop on parts of the body that get a lot of sun, such as the face, neck, ear, lips, and back of the hands. This skin cancer also can develop from a noncancerous lesion called actinic keratosis , which are small, crusty, or scaly and can be tiny or as wide as 1 inch. People with darker skin pigment are significantly less likely to get skin cancer in these areas than those with lighter skin.