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Skin Cancer facts

lginger — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 01:11:05 +0000

There are hundreds of different types of cancer. Cancer types are usually identified and named based on the organ, tissue, or cell type affected.

To read more, please visit Skin Cancer

5 Steps to Reduce Your Chances of Skin Cancer

lginger — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:47:43 +0000

Experts have always said that prevention is the best medicine. By following five simple steps, this could help reduce the chances of being another victim of skin cancer.

1. The sun’s rays are intense between 10am to 4pm. By doing fewer activities during these hours, this could help prevent over exposure from the sun’s UV rays. One should realize that being in a cold climate does not protect the individual since the snow reflects sunlight that could still do damage to the skin.

2. It is advisable to wear long sleeves and long pants to keep the skin covered whenever going outdoors. A hat or cap is also good to protect the neck and cheeks from over exposure. The best color that gives protection are dark colored clothes.

3. Sunglasses can protect the person from too much exposure from the sun. Before buying a pair, one should check if this blocks UV rays since overexposure can cause cataracts that may result to blindness.

4. A lot of companies have manufactured sunscreen protection for the public. The best ones to buy should have a Sun Protection Factor of 15 or higher since this can help prevent sunburns.

The directions must be read carefully before applying it on the body. Sunscreen can only do so much even when the person is in the water. This is because like snow, water can penetrate into the water and do some damage to the skin.

5. Some people believe that tanning beds are safer than being outdoors. Research has shown that this is not true and can increase the chances of skin cancer in the long term. The best advice then is to avoid such places since this could do more harm than good.

Skin cancer can strike anyone regardless of age or gender. By taking the proper precautions, the individual will not be another countless victim of this dreaded disease.

Learn more about skin cancer here.

Skin Cancer and Sunlight

lginger — Sun, 19 Mar 2006 18:49:56 +0000

Doctors once said that sunlight is good for the body. It provides vitamin D that gives nutrients which will strengthen the bones and muscles. It also boosts the immune system which prevents people from diseases like the common cold.

Recently, new research is saying something different. Studies have shown that too much exposure to the sun is bad because this could lead to skin cancer.

In the United States alone, more than a million people are diagnosed with this disease each year. An estimated one hundred thousand of these patients will not survive. Though this is curable if diagnosed early, there is a more dangerous form that can’t be cured known as melanoma.

The greatest people at risk for this disease are children. This is especially for babies under 6 months of age since the skin cannot produce enough melanin to protect it from the sun’s ultraviolet light.

This is also affects adolescents and teenagers because of the length of time spent outdoors compared to adults. Whenever the skin gets tanned or burned, it damages the person’s skin cells and DNA. Since the body cannot repair all of these, it becomes cancerous cells. This strengthens the belief of dermatologists that there is a strong link between sunburn obtained during childhood to melanoma later in life.

Melanoma begins to show as moles or tumors on the skin. This can grow anywhere on the person’s body and are most frequently found on the leg or upper back. Should these grow darker, get larger, itch, spread or bleed then it is best to consult the doctor for proper examination.

Hear how 7 survivors beat melanoma.

Skin Cancer Symptoms

lginger — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 19:14:07 +0000

Skin cancer may be hereditary or it can be acquired if a person is overexposed to sunlight. The ultra violet rays of the sun can cause skin cancer. When the skin lacks vitamin E, it can be a risk to have thin layers on the skin that may lead to skin changes and skin growths, which are unexpectedly developing to a malignant disease like skin cancer.

1. If a person my see some unexpected changes in his skin. Skin cancer may occur mostly in areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun. He may also have skin cancer if he has growing skin in the face, tip of the ear, or at the back of the hand. Although not all changes in the skin can be a symptom of a skin cancer, it is advisable to see a doctor for diagnostic tests to confirm if these changes have a relation to skin cancer.

2. There are cases where there is the appearance of tiny lumps in the skin. There can be sore or wounds that are not healing even they are treated. These signs could be the possibility of a person of having a skin cancer.

3. If a mole seems to grow or has a different color compared to other moles in his body, this could be a sign of Melanoma. If a person notices that his mole does not have the same half than the other this, could be cancerous in its form.

4. The irregularity of the edges of the mole, which may appear to be blurred and ragged, can be a sign of skin Melanoma as well. He should determine if the color of the mole changes, the pigmentation must be similar. If there is a mottled appearance on the mole or he may find shadows of tan or the presence of black and brown spots on the moles might be signs of a malignant Melanoma.

5. Moles that are growing and getting bigger should put him into great concern because malignant Melanoma usually starts as mottled in their appearance. The colors are commonly brown and black spots with edges that are irregular by their form. There are also changes in the color of the mole, which may turn blue, red, white, or they bleed in their edges.

6. A skin growth known as the actinic keratoses could be the early symptom of a malignant skin disorder. These skin growths are small in their appearance. They have scaly spots that are formed in body parts that are usually exposed to sunlight. They could be found first to be very tiny in their appearance but they can get bigger and thicker. They are mostly found on the back of the hands.

7. The most common symptom that can be associated to skin cancer is the growth of a sore that does not heal. Skin cancer may appear in different forms although the skin changes may not be a true symptom of skin cancer, it is still a precautionary measure to visit doctor to see if there are really no signs of skin cancer.

To prevent skin cancer, it is important for a person to have limited exposure to too much sunlight. Skin cancer can be fatal if it is not detected in its early stages. The cells of the skin might spread thoroughly to the skin tissues that can lead to skin cancer. It is very important to see a doctor if there are symptoms seen that could lead to skin cancer.

To get more skin cancer advice, click here.