Skin cancer represents the most commonly diagnosed malignancy, surpassing lung, breast, colorectal and prostate cancer. Tumors develop primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. Contrary to popular conception, skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, including those with darker complexions.

The three main types of skin cancer are: basal cell carcinoma; squamous cell carcinoma; and malignant melanoma. All three are detrimental to one’s health, though two out of the three can be cured if caught early enough. This sort of skin cancer is responsible for 90 percent of all skin cancers within the United States. Basal cell carcinoma hardly ever seeps into other parts of the body, though it can reach the bone if it is not eradicated right away.

The most common of all the three types of skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma is often referred to as non-melanoma skin cancer. It is easily detected and it first appears as a small lump on those areas that are exposed to the sun and the air, such as the head, neck and hands. This form of cancer rarely spreads to the other parts of the body and it has a very high cure rate.

Melanomas are usually noticed by detecting a change in skin moles. If there is any change to the mole, this might mean that a melanoma is present. Individuals should check their moles to see if the size, color or shape has changed. They should also alert their doctor if a mole becomes itchy or starts to bleed. If a patient has a family history of melanoma, they should be examined by a doctor at least once a year as part of a preventative plan.

The second type, one that is more serious than basal cell carcinoma, is squamous cell carcinoma. This slow-growing cancer is not as inert as basal cell carcinoma, meaning that, if left untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Yet, though there are risks involved, squamous cell carcinoma is one of the easier skin cancers to treat, often requiring a simple removal via liquid nitrogen blast or hot knife incision.

The final type is most serious. Melanoma is a cancer that originates in melanocytes, the cells responsible for producing melanin. The amount of melanin present in skin tissue determines the lightness or darkness of the skin’s color. Malignant melanoma can spread rapidly and invade vital organs and other body tissues. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial to a successful cure.

The simplest way to avoid skin cancer is to reduce the exposure of you skin to the sun’s cancer causing rays. Protect you skin by limiting your time in the sun and wear full clothing, those parts of the skin that are still exposed apply a good quality sunscreen to. The chemical composition of sunscreens block most of the sun’s harmful rays.

Prevention and control for skin cancer is actually very easy and just requires getting used to using sun-protective practices on a daily basis. It is very easy and here are a few things that medical professionals and governmental organizations recommend for safe outdoor protection from UV rays

These days thousands of cases of skin cancer has been reported. Skin cancer is increasing day by day with the increasing rate. The skin cancer can be defined in three parts. All of these skin cancers are dangerous for he humans. These three skin cancers are as follow:

Melanoma- This is the first amongst three types of skin cancers. This can start with a point that is in the moles and this rapidly spread all over the body and this can lead to the death of the infected person. It is advised that if anyone has moles which have irregular borders and are of multiple colors must get checked through a specialist.

Usually people takes it lightly, some takes it as the season changing effects and some takes it in any other way but this has to be treated well because if this is take n lightly then this can lead to the death of the patient. The moles which are extremely opposite to these that is the moles with the regular borders and with the single colors are out of the reach of the skin cancer threat.

Squamous cell cancer- This is also a very dangerous skin cancer type. This type of skin cancer do not spread regularly as it shows its impact occasionally and when it spreads all over the body it could be much more dangerous that melanoma even. It is again advised that whenever one feels that with a very low speed he is receiving some sorts of infection then he must consult a specialist before it gets uncontrollable.

Basal cell skin cancer- This is the third, last and the most common type of the skin cancer. This type of skin do not spread through body and there are very rare chances that if this spreads from the body also this is the only type of skin cancer which can be cured by the 100% of the lesion. These cancers can not be stopped if they reach their speed and the only way to stop them is to wait until they get through with their entire activity and up to that period the patient will not survive.

Therefore, it is recommended that people must take care of them because if they get trapped by any of this type then this would be very difficult even for the doctor to cure them.

The symptoms for the basal cell skin cancer are that it develops some scaly surface on the area which is usually exposed in the light. There are special creams available to remove this kind of infection which is known as actinic keratosis and the special cream which is advised to remove this is imiquimod. Usually what people do is that they leave that red area as it is and that infection gets enough time to make his own way and this is the reason why the person get trapped by this skin cancer.

Always keep in mind that early detection is your best weapon against any types of cancer.

To Your Health!

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States – an estimated million cases are diagnosed annually and around 20% of people will show signs of skin cancer at some point during their lifetime. Less than 1,000 people die from skin cancer in a typical year, although if you have any skin cancer symptoms or experienced any skin cancer warning signs, it’s important to have them checked.

People of all skin tones can develop skin cancer, including those with darker skin tones; and it’s important to know what some of the skin cancer warning signs are. Skin cancer tends to develop more on those parts of the body that are more often exposed to the sun – face, neck, chest, back, arms and legs – although it can also develop on areas not usually exposed to sunlight.

There are several types of skin cancer; melanoma is the most serious and causes the most deaths. Anyone can get melanoma, although if there is a history of it in your family, you are more susceptible. And if you spend lots of time outdoors, live at a higher altitude where UV rays are not filtered as effectively, or have had several bad sunburns, you also have a higher risk of developing melanoma.

Moles and freckles are two of the biggest warning signs of melanoma. A melanoma can not only form on the skin, but will frequently grow from an existing mole or freckle. One of the biggest differences between normal moles and melanomas is the color – a normal mole or freckle is black or brown, with a well-defined edge; a melanoma is often multicolored, has different shades, or may ooze fluid.

It’s possible to examine your own body regularly to try to keep track of any freckles, moles or blemishes. Be particularly careful of any that seem to grow in size, are different colors or won’t heal. If in doubt, always have any suspicious moles or freckles examined by a doctor – the sooner they are treated, the less chance of the disease spreading to other parts of the body.

Basal cell carcinoma is the commonest form of the disease also. Warning signs include a flesh-colored or brown lesion on the back or chest, or a waxy bump on the neck, face or ears. This type of skin cancer is not likely to spread to other areas of the body; it’s also fairly easy to treat. Squamous cell carcinoma is also easily treated; warning symptoms of this include a lesion with a crusty surface on the arms or face; or a red nodule on the face, neck or arms.

There are several less common forms of skin cancer. Merkel cell carcinoma is rare, although it can spread rapidly. The warning signs are firm, shiny nodules found in hair follicles and just below the skin on areas of the body exposed to the sun. Also rare is Kaposi’s sarcoma, found mainly in people with a weakened immune system; warning signs are purple patches on the skin. Sebaceous gland carcinoma is characterized by hard nodules on the body, especially on the eyelid.

Skin cancer is completely curable, if found and treated early enough. The hard part is perhaps determining what the warning sign of skin cancer is and what is normal – if in any doubt, have it checked out by a doctor or skin specialist.

The cause of skin cancer and melanomas does not lie entirely with the sun. If it did our ancestors would not have survived and we wouldn’t be here. It was almost unheard of 100 years ago; it’s been slowly increasing over the last 40 to 50 years. Cases of melanomas have doubled in the U.K. in the past 30 years. The sun hasn’t got any stronger and the ozone layer is still intact, but the foods we consume on a daily basis have changed vastly. It’s the sun, combined with nutritional deficiency that causes skin cancer. It’s the irritation caused by the sun burn that will determine where the cancer will take hold, but it’s the nutritional deficiencies and other lifestyle factors that causes it to grow, that’s why it keeps reappearing after treatments. The only ways to cure any skin cancers or melanomas are to address the underlying causes.

Cancer is not a 100 different diseases as we have become to believe but one disease in over 100 different locations. All cancers have mostly common causes. Remember that many people get skin cancer in areas of the body that don’t see a lot of the sun, like the soles of the feet or the palms of the hands. Also dark skin people get skin cancer just as much as fair skin people. The reasons why a person develops any cancer are well known, and to cure it, all these issues you must address.

The underlying causes are our lack of fresh fruit and vegetables, the use of too many toxic chemicals, many of which are know to be carcinogenic, our sedentary lifestyle, which because of it, our built in defence system which is our immune system has become sluggish and lastly emotional stress which does have a major impact on human health, including cancer.

Melanomas can be very aggressive so if one wants to cure themselves, they need to address all the factors mentioned above. Today we consume many foods which are not suitable for human consumption. For instance, processed foods which nearly all contain fat, salt or refined sugar and those 3 items are known contributors to cancer. The toxic chemicals we use on a daily basis which are mostly in personal care products and are absorbed into our body through our pores. Then we can thank the ubiquitous automobile for our lack of exercise. We need exercise to rid the body of toxins, as it boosts the all important immune system making it work more efficiently.

Emotional stress or unresolved conflict, not letting go of a problem, which might be the loss of a close friend, a business crisis or bankruptcy can have a major effect on the immune system and all cancers are simply a disease of a weak immune system.

There is no mystery about the causes of skin cancer or any other cancer. If you want to achieve a permanent cure, it is essential to eat freshly grown food everyday which is of paramount importance, remove all toxic chemicals, and get some exercise. If you are in the sun use some common sense and cover up during the hottest part of the day. That is the only way to become free of the disease….for good!

Skin cancer and melanomas are an entirely preventable and curable disease and our modern medical approaches are not necessary the most effective approach to healing cancer patients.

Alan Wighton is an independent health researcher, having spent many years gaining knowledge, particularly on the subject of cancer. If you have found this article helpful and would like to learn more, visit his website where you can download a free article that has been written with facts and information to help people overcome their cancer.

www.cancerhealed.com

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. Despite the medical evidence available on skin cancer, our society remains focused on tanning beds and sunbathing without using the proper protection.

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. Melanomas occur in the epidermis, the skin’s outer layer, usually appearing as a dark mole with uneven edges.

If detected early through skin cancer prevention, melanomas can be eliminated without causing harm. If ignored, these cancers can break away and spread to other parts of the body. Non-melanomas, on the other hand, are comprised of two different cell types, basal cells and squamous cells. Both of these cells are caused from sun exposure, but basal cells form in the lower epidermis while squamous cells form in the upper epidermis.

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. Tanning beds are another cause of skin cancer and are often used throughout the year, not just during the summer months.

Proper prevention begins with knowing what you need to be sun safe any time of the year. If you have light colored hair and fair skin, you should be weary of exposing yourself to over indulge in the sun’s rays. You should also be aware if anyone in your family has been diagnosed with skin cancer because this could increase your chances of developing the disease.

Sunscreen is recommended as a form of protection against the sun. The American Cancer Society urges the use of waterproof sunscreen that has an SPF15 or more of both UVA and UVB protection. You should also apply at least an ounce of sunscreen for your body twenty minutes before going out into the sun.

Too often, individuals forget to re-apply their sunscreen after being exposed to harmful UVA and UVB rays. Also be sure to avoid the sun during 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. because this is when the sun’s rays are most intense. Staying unprotected in the sun during this time is when you put yourself in the danger zone for damaging healthy skin cells.

Proper skin cancer prevention should be practiced by everyone in your family, even babies. Doctors recommend babies that are six months or younger stay out of the sun. Teaching your children to be sun smart is important for their health too.

Find shady areas when you take them outside to play and be sure they have the proper protection on. Clothing is another way to protect yourself and your family from harmful rays. Wear hats that have wide brims to cover all areas of your neck, ears, eyes and scalp.

Skin cancer prevention does not mean you have to avoid the sun altogether. It just means you should be smart when you do go outside. Remembering to use a protective sunscreen all year is a great way to start your cancer prevention routine.

Know your skin and any marks or freckles so you can recognize abnormalities that may develop. The sooner you start guarding yourself from harmful rays, the better you raise your chance of avoiding skin cancer.

Skin cancer — the abnormal growth of skin cells — most often develops on skin exposed to the sun. But this common form of cancer can also occur on areas of the skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight. Skin cancer is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the outer layers of your skin. Your skin protects your body against heat, light, infection, and injury. It also stores water, fat, and vitamin D.

Melanoma is a form of skin cancer that occurs in the melanocytes, which are cells in the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis). Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. Melanoma may be cured if caught and treated early, but if left untreated the majority of melanomas eventually spread to other parts of the body. Early detection and surgery to remove the melanoma are successful in curing most cases of melanoma; however it is rarely curable in its later stages.

Facts

There are three types of skin cancer: the two most common are Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas. They are easily treated and rarely fatal. The third and most dangerous is the malignant melanoma.

Skin cancer is the second most common cancer in the United Kingdom, with about 40,500 new cases each year, of which 6,000 are malignant melanomas. About 1,500 people die from melanomas in Britain every year.

Melanomas can spread two ways: horizontally, which gives rise to the superficial spreading melanoma, or they can grow downwards and the cells will invade the lymph glands, which is much more dangerous.

Over the past 60 years, damage to the planet’s ozone layer has increased the amount of harmful radiation that reaches your skin.

Causes

Skin cancer begins in your skin’s top layer — the epidermis. The epidermis is as thin as a pencil line, and it provides a protective layer of skin cells that your body continually sheds. The epidermis contains three types of cells:

Sunburn and Ultra Violet light exposure causes maximum damage resulting in DNA damage to the skin. The body can usually repair this damage before gene mutations occur. But when a person’s body cannot repair the damaged DNA, then it results in skin cancer.

Squamous cells lie just below the outer surface.

Basal cells, which produce new skin cells, sit beneath the squamous cells.

Melanocytes, which produce melanin — the pigment that gives skin its normal color, are located in the lower part of your epidermis. Melanocytes produce more melanin when you’re in the sun to help protect the deeper layers of your skin. Extra melanin produces the darker color of tanned skin.

Treatment

Freezing. Your doctor may destroy actinic keratoses and some small, early skin cancers by freezing them with liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). The dead tissue sloughs off when it thaws. The treatment may leave a small, white scar. You may need a repeat treatment to remove the growth completely.

Excision: Small cancers can be removed by excising them out. It will be done under local anaesthetic.

Laser therapy. A precise, intense beam of light vaporizes growths, generally with little damage to surrounding tissue and with minimal bleeding, swelling and scarring. A doctor may use this therapy to treat superficial skin cancers or precancerous growths on lips.

Radiation therapy. Radiation may destroy basal and squamous cell carcinomas if surgery isn’t an option.

Mohs surgery. This procedure is for larger, recurring or difficult-to-treat skin cancers, which may include both basal and squamous cell carcinomas. Your doctor removes the skin growth layer by layer, examining each layer under the microscope, until no abnormal cells remain.

If you know what early warning signs to look for, skin cancer can be detected at an early stage and cured without the use of aggressive treatments which cause severe side effects. Unlike other cancers, skin cancer’s earliest warning signs are openly visible on the skin. The advantage of early detection is lost if you don’t know what to look for and if you fail to do regular skin examinations or consult a doctor if you find any irregularities. Skin cancer images can be used as a guide when doing a skin self-examination, showing you what kind of irregularities require medical attention.

Early detection of skin cancer is extremely important. When detected early, skin cancer can usually be removed through a simple outpatient surgery; this can even be true for the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma. If the disease is allowed to advance and the tumor is allowed to grow to the point that it may begin to metastasize, local lymph nodes may need to be removed and tested for cancerous cells. If cancerous cells have spread to nearby lymph nodes, radiation or chemotherapy may be necessary to destroy any remaining cancer cells throughout the body.

If skin cancer has further progressed before treatment, other tumors may begin to grow in other parts of the body. These tumors, though they may be in other organs or systems, are made up of the same cancerous skin cells. If one or more tumors appear in other parts of the body, further surgeries and more aggressive treatments may be necessary, and the point may be reached where curing the cancer is impossible and only the symptoms are treated.

Early detection being so important and skin cancer being such a common disease, people need to learn not just prevention methods but also methods of early detection. Just as women need to do regular breast self-examinations, everyone needs to do periodic skin self-examinations, checking thoroughly all parts of their skin for any irregularities that may be a sign of skin cancer. Exemplary images of skin cancer symptoms can help people recognize skin irregularities which require medical examination to find out whether they are cancerous.

Warning signs for melanoma include any changes in moles or nevi, especially dysplastic nevi, or moles which are irregularly shaped or colored. Nonmelanoma skin cancer can be more difficult to detect for people who don’t know what to look for, as it can present itself as small, relatively harmless-looking lumps, or as sores or rashes that don’t seem to heal properly. If a person sees an image of this type of skin cancer, they will know to see a doctor rather than waiting it out and seeing if it heals on its own.

As long as they are accompanied by some background information, skin cancer images can be an important tool for people who wish to detect skin cancer in its early stages.

Skin cancer can be cured, in many cases without the use of aggressive treatments which cause problematic side effects, if it is discovered in its early stages. This can be achieved if the skin cancer patient has taken an active role in discovering skin cancer early on, but it takes more than looking at a skin cancer symptom photo. Changes in behavior need to be promoted not only to prevent skin cancer but to detect it in its earliest stages, including performing skin self-examinations and getting checkups on a regular basis.

A person may benefit from seeing images of skin cancer in the sense that people often wait too long to see a doctor when they happen upon a skin irregularity without knowing that it may be skin cancer. Many types of skin cancer, however, closely resemble other types of skin problems, so a person may simply assume that they have skin cancer before visiting a doctor, and needlessly panic. Skin cancer images may give people an idea of what early warning signs to look for, but it is more important that they regularly receive medical examinations especially when they have any unanswered medical questions. People need to be able to visit a doctor regularly, and if they have this routine they can ask about any skin irregularities during their routine checkups.

While people generally receive the message that avoiding the sun and using sunscreen can help prevent skin cancer, and that tanning beds should not be used because of recent studies showing that they severely increase the risk of contracting melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, the message of early detection is generally lost. Whereas everybody knows what a breast examination is, they do not know that people need to perform regular examinations of their own skin. The first signs of skin cancer are visible on the skin, making skin examinations an extremely effective way to detect skin cancer when it can still be removed through a simple surgery, avoiding the need for aggressive treatment.

People can get a general idea of what skin cancer symptoms look like by looking at a skin cancer symptom photo, but some additional information is equally important. People should know about both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer and their symptoms, and they should know about moles, or nevi. Irregular moles, known as dysplastic nevi, need to be watched for any changes, and a doctor should be consulted if any changes occur.

A basal cell carcinoma skin cancer is the result of sun damage to the skin. The cancer tends to enlarge in a slow and steady pattern. It has the capability to spread to the tissue nearby. However, it cannot spread to the distant part of the body.

The best and the only way to detect this cancer is to go for a biopsy. The procedure involves removal of a small piece of the skin and letting a pathologist analyze it under the microscope in a medical laboratory.

The process does not work towards removing the cancer. It only takes off at the top just like the tip of an ice berg. Sometimes, the skin works towards healing once the biopsy is done as it starts growing over the cancer.

Now, this does not indicate that the cancer is gone. It just means that the cancer is covered with a layer of skin. In case, the cancer is not eliminated completely, it can get deep in to the skin and results in greater harm.

Basal cell carcinoma skin cancer is the most common type of cancer existing in the world. This cancer can be quite destructive and even disfiguring. It consists of the risk of developing serious skin problems.

People with family history of basal cell carcinoma skin cancer are more vulnerable to developing this disease. Also people who have exposed themselves to sunlight or exposed to carcinogenic chemicals such as arsenic are at greater risk of developing this disease.

The treatment of this dangerous disease is either via surgery, topical chemotherapy, cryosurgery, or photodynamic therapy. The disease is not life threatening. However, if left untreated, the disease can disfigure the skin, results in bleeding and even result in local destruction in areas such as eye, ear, nose and lip.

There are several types of basal cell carcinoma skin cancer as mentioned below:

a) Nodular

This appears as flesh colored papule with telangiectasis. In case, it becomes ulcerates, it

results in ‘rodent ulcer’. It is an ulcerating nodule with a pearly border.

b) Cystic

This is a rare type of basal cell carcinoma skin cancer and very difficult to distinguish from the nodular type. It has a cavity in the centre with fluid.

c) Pigmented

This is another variant of the nodular type of basal cell carcinoma skin cancer. This should not confuse with melanoma.

d) Sclerosing

It is a scar like lesion.

e) Superficial

This type of basal cell carcinoma skin cancer appears as a red scaling patch.

Basal cell carcinoma skin cancer may look different from normal skin. It may also appear as skin bump or a growth that looks pearly, waxy, white, light pink, flesh colored, brown or even flat.

Here are some symptoms of basal cell carcinoma skin cancer:

- A skin sore that may bleed easily

- A sore that does not heal properly

- Sore with crusting or oozing spots

- Sore just like a scar without an injured area.

- Irregular blood vessels around the spot

Rush to a skin doctor as soon as you observe some of the above symptoms.

Basal Cell (often misspelled as Basil) is arguably the most common form of skin cancer in the world. Basal Cell Cancer starts in the lowest layer of the Epidermis (skin), which is called the Basal cell layer. Around eighty percent of diagnosed skin cancers are Basal Cell Carcinomas. This figure used to be higher (at 90%), but cases of Melanoma are unfortunately climbing.

Basal cell carcinoma is a slow growing cancer and rarely spreads to other parts of the body through the blood stream. Basal Cell Carcinoma is usually never fatal, however it can become severely disfiguring if left untreated.

Causes of Basal Cell Skin Cancer

Basal cell skin cancer is caused by repeated exposures to ultraviolet radiation (UV rays). Sources of this type of radiation come from Sun and tanning beds (no big shock there). Intense exposures of UV rays, such as sunburns can drastically increase the occurrence of Basal cell cancer.

Signs Of Basal Cell Skin Cancer

Basal cell cancer can be hard to spot early on because it almost looks like regular skin features. Basal Cell skin cancer almost always forms on the face, neck, arms and legs (basically any parts of the body that are exposed to the sun).

Below are some things to look for:

-Deep red area on the skin that doesn’t heal.

-Bumps that look like blisters that never burst.

-Lesions (holes in the skin) that never heal on their own.

If you experience any of the above go make an appointment with a dermatologist ASAP.

Treatment Of Basal Cell Skin Cancer

Treatment varies depending on the size, depth, and location of the basal cell cancer. Treatments options can include surgery, MOHS surgery, radiation, cryosurgery (freezing cancer cells), topical chemotherapy and photodynamic therapy. Treating Basal cell with MOHS is by far the best way to prevent the Basal cell cancer from coming back (about a one percent chance of returning) while other forms of basal cell treatment are less effective (about a ten percent return rate). MOHS is a surgical procedure that involves removing tumor tissue layer by layer. Each of the layers of removed tissue are then scanned for cancer cells under a microscope.

Preventing Basal Cell Cancer

The best way to prevent Basal cell skin cancer is to protect exposed areas of your skin to UV rays. Always try to use a sun block with an SPF of at least 30 (and that doesn’t contain Oxybenzone if possible). Covering up is the single best way to prevent sun damage. Also, keep in mind that when clothes become wet they lose about half their protection from harmful UV rays.

Remember, only one bad sunburn drastically increases your chances for either Basal cell skin cancer or Melanoma skin cancer.