January 18, 2010

Skin Cancer and Melanoma

Skin cancer occurs when skin cells are damaged, for example, by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Between 95 and 99% of skin cancers in Australia are caused by exposure to the sun.

Types of skin cancer:

1) melanoma – the most dangerous form of skin cancer
2) non-melanoma skin cancer.
a) basal cell carcinoma
b) squamous cell carcinoma

Skin cancer comes in two forms, melanomas and non-melanomas. Melanomas usually account for only four percent of diagnosed skin cancers, but they are considered to be the most deadly.

There are four stages of melanoma that classify the severity of this skin cancer. Each stage pertains to the thickness and the amount that the melanoma has spread. When the stage of melanoma has been diagnosed, it is then possible for the doctors to determine the best type of treatment. In this article, we will discuss what the different stages of melanoma signify.

Stage 1 of melanoma is thin and the epidermis usually appears scraped. This stage of skin cancer is subdivided into two other categories. These additional categories describe the thickness of the tumor. Stage 1a is less than 1.0 mm and has no ulceration. Stage 1b is less than 1.0 mm but has ulceration. It is also considered to be in stage 1b if it is 1.01 – 2.0 mm even if it does not involve ulceration.

Ultra violet radiation emanating from the sun accounts for the majority of skin cancer. It is therefore one of the leading causes of skin cancer. UV rays, the other name for ultra violet radiation are said to come from the sun. The sun’s energy is made up of two components which are the visible and invisible rays.

Skin cancer prevention is preached by medical professionals all over the United States. This is no surprise given that the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation reported more than one million Americans were diagnosed with some form of skin cancer in 2005.

Preventing skin cancer is often associated with older generations, but today you see more teenagers and young adults spending excessive amounts of time in the sun. Without the proper protection, our society could see a surge in skin cancer diagnosis.

Skin Cancer Clinic aims to provide a comprehensive skin service from skin cancer management, treating sundamaged skin, promoting healthy skin and minimally invasive cosmetic services.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/skin-cancer-and-melanoma-1740753.html

Filed under Skin Cancer by Rae and Mark

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December 29, 2009

A Woman's Worst Nightmare: Skin Cancer

The skin, which turns out to be a woman's pride, is always part of her vanity ritual. This ritual involves the use of every imaginable soap or lotion ever invented to pamper and keep the skin silky smooth.  Almost every pampering method is exploited to lavish care and attention on the precious skin. That is why when a woman develops skin cancer, her world is totally crushed and her self-esteem is immediately shattered.

A skin cancer is a cancer that results in the overproduction of harmful cells on the skin. This cancer is usually detected by looking for a pigment called melanoma. Signs of skin cancer include a sudden change in the appearance of the skin or the presence of wounds or sores that don't heal. The two most common forms of skin cancer are asquamous cells and carcinoma. These two are also better known as non-melanoma skin cancer.  There is an estimated 1,000,000 new cases of non-melanoma cancer in the United States for this year alone.

Skin cancer occurs when the UV Light (Ultra Violet) from the sun damages the DNA in skin, causing skin cells to mutate and grow into cancers. Although sunlight is very important, it keeps us warm and it allows skin to manufacture vitamin D which is essential to metabolic processes that leads to having strong bones. On the other hand,the UV light found in sunlight damages the DNA in skin, causing its skin cells to mutate.

People who are at most risk or likely to get skin cancer are those people who spent a lot of time outdoors. People who engage in frequent outdoor activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, hiking, working in the farm, or fishing are thought to be predisposed to skin cancer. Urbanites who fancy spending their weekends on hot tropical island getaways are also at risk.

Generally when a cancer is found, it is removed through surgical means and it's only in advanced cases that the use of chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is considered. Another least common type of skin cancer is the melanoma which is mostly a common skin cancer in men and women between the ages of 15 to 44 years old. Melanoma is a cancer of melancytes- and usually looks dark brown, black or blue-black. It can looked flat or raised. It can look as a patch of normal skin like a mole or a freckle. Some signs of this cancer include:

1.    A change of color (much darker than before)
2.    Bleeding
3.    Itching
4.    A mole appears for the first time when you are already over 30

PREVENTING SKIN CANCER AND OTHER SKIN CARE TREATMENT TIPS

l    The sun is at its peak between 10 am to 4 pm and so try to seek the shade or bring a hat or umbrella with you if there is no place that you can seek as a cover from the heat rays.
l    Use a sunscreen always with an SPF of 15 or higher when ever possible
l    Use a UV-blocking sunglasses.
l    Examine your skin, look for some slight changes.
l    When in doubt seek help from a skin professional so you can take some skin test.

The overall outlook is that you can prevent skin cancer.  If you suspect that your mole is cancerous, let a well-trained doctor examine it right away or visit a dermatologist.

Find tips about recurring yeast infection and piercing infection at the Types Of Infections website.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/a-womans-worst-nightmare-skin-cancer-1636870.html

Filed under Skin Cancer by Rae and Mark

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December 24, 2009

Skin Cancer And Sun. What Are The Dangers?

When the sun is sitting high in the sky many people set off for a day at the beach to cook their bodies in the sun. We know now that exposure to the sun could cause us serious harm to our skin.

The general public already know that they should wear sunscreen when they go outside. However , few people actually apply sunscreen each time they leave the house. Typically, we only think about putting on sunscreen when we are expecting to be outside all day. We have all heard the alerts to wear sunscreen and avoid too much sun exposure. Unfortunately, younger people have a tendency to disregard these warnings and do not think seriously about skin cancer.

No matter how young or old you are , you need to take excellent care of your skin. Unnecessary exposure to the sun will lead to break finally even if it doesn't appear for a few years. Therefore , you need to forestall damage from the sun when you are young so that it won't become an argument when you're older. Many steps can be brought to limit or forestall sun damage.

We frequently only consider applying sunscreen when we are expecting to be outside for many hours. However , we don't consider it when we spend shorter amounts of time out of doors. Your skin is exposed to the sun's rays each time you are outside, even if you're simply walking to work in the morning or taking a breather outdoors during the afternoon.

In general, you need to shield yourself from the sun by applying sunblock with an SPF of 15 or more on all exposed skin. Additionally, the sun is strongest between 10 AM and 3 PM. Therefore , you shouldn't go outside unnecessarily during those hours. The summer isn't the single time you need to watch your exposure to the sun. In the winter and fall, you can still get too much sunlight. Sunscreen should be worn all year round.

Keep your sunscreen reapplied throughout the day particularly if you've been sweating or swimming. Reapply each two hours to be safe. Children need additional protection. As you can't apply sunscreen to youngsters under half a year of age, you should limit their exposure to the sun while they are vulnerable.

Keep babies covered with clothing and hats to restrict their exposure. The delicate skin of kids and babies is extraordinarily subject to damage and is going to be protected especially punctiliously. Babies are extraordinarily exposed to skin cancer and sun.

When it comes to your health, you should not take any chances. You want pertinent information and you want it straight away.
Wish to learn more? Stop at http://theskincancersymptoms.com/article to find tips and videos on skin cancer

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/cancer-articles/skin-cancer-and-sun-what-are-the-dangers-1604444.html

Filed under Skin Cancer by Rae and Mark

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