Archive for the 'Skin Cancer' Category

If you are like most people, you probably think the sun causes cancer. And why shouldn’t you? Some news coverage has demonized the sun as dangerous. It has sent many running from it like Vampires at dawn.

The truth is that overexposure to the sun can cause problems. What you probably don’t know – underexposure can be dangerous to your health. Here’s why: A new study looking at the relationship between vitamin D serum levels and the risk of colon and breast cancer across the globe has estimated the number of cases of cancer that could be prevented each year if vitamin D3 levels met the target proposed by researchers.

Cedric F. Garland, Dr.P.H., cancer prevention specialist at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and colleagues estimate that 250,000 cases of colorectal cancer and 350,000 cases of breast cancer could be prevented worldwide by increasing intake of vitamin D3, particularly in countries north of the equator. Vitamin D3 is available through diet, supplements and exposure of the skin to sunlight.  Read more...

Moles that are cancerous can be life threatening if diagnosed late and without proper treatment. Not all moles are cancerous but even normal moles can be cancerous in the long run. Adults who notice that moles are increasing in number on their skin need to be precautious since moles rarely grow during adulthood. It may lead to a cancer of the skin, which is a major type of skin tumor.

How to know if a mole is cancerous

These moles can look pink, tan, or brown and appear flat, smooth, or raised. Some may look flat in the beginning but elevates eventually. Moles that are normal have an oval or circular shape. Cancerous moles look different from the normal moles in color and appearance, and even in size and shape.

Symptoms of Cancerous Moles:

Height

It is often elevated and quickly changes in size. If you begin to see your moles decrease or increase in diameter, shape or color and if it begins to bleed then consult a dermatologist right away.

Size

The normal mole size is 6 mm or less. Have your mole checked by a doctor if it seems to be bigger than normal.  Read more...

At New Century Spine Centers in San Diego, there are many chiropractic patients who come in for more than just back pain. Advice is a common occurrence at a chiropractor’s office. For many years, we have known two important things to be true. First of all, the sun is bad for you, and therefore, exposure should be limited. Most people don’t know this, but the sun has three types of sun rays. The first is ultraviolet C light. They are also known as UVC. This ray usually does not reach our planet’s surface. This is good because it is believed only brief exposure to UVC rays is fatal. Next is ultraviolet B radiation. It is also known as UVB rays. These have long been considered the tanning rays that cause our skin to tan. They are strongest during the summer months when the Earth’s orbit is closest to the Sun. UVB rays are what produce a sun tan to our skin.  Read more...

Receiving a diagnosis that you have skin cancer is usually taken very hard. You probably do not know what you can do next as decisions hare hard to make in such an unnerving time. Luckily, the chance of you surviving skin cancer is usually very good as long as it was detected early.

The best chance of keeping skin cancer under control is to be aware of your skin and notice any changes early enough to catch it before it progresses. Your odds of beating it greatly improve if you are proactive and catch it early.

In the first stages of skin cancer you will find out whether you have a non-melanoma skin cancer or a melanoma skin cancer. Early stages for both of these have a very good prognosis for survival. A basal cell carcinoma is very rarely spread beyond a second stage so the prognosis is very good if this is the type of skin cancer that you have.  Read more...

There’s an array of skin care products for women to chose from, which often confusing for a shopper. But before making purchases, make sure that you know your skin very well.

Skin is the outer image of the internal self and it is the expression of what you are on the inside. A distressed mind always manifests itself through the skin.

Blemishes split the monotony of the perfect skin. A monotony which for once is pleasing, what you eat, what you drink, and what type of make-up you use and what you are, radiates through your skin.

Aside from these factors, there are some irresistible agents that harm the texture of your skin. Amongst the many factors, weather and pollution are liable for distressing the skin.

3. Moisturize your skin, particularly in the winter. If you get dry skin on a regular basis, find a moisturizer that fits to your skin type.

Steady contact to pollution is avoidable. It clogs up the pores, pinching your skin’s right to oxygen use. It leads to rough skin, distinct by fine lines running all through your face.  Read more...

By knowing the five signs of skin cancer and what skin cancer looks like on an affected person, you would be able to determine whether or not you should check with a doctor. However, always err on the side of caution and see a doctor if you notice something unusual on your skin as it could be an early warning sign of skin cancer. The signs of cancer can be divided into the letters of the alphabet.

Growths that tend to mutate in shape or grow larger can be cancerous and need to be watched by you carefully. Think of the letter A for asymmetry. What you are typically looking for in a cancerous growth is for the shape to be erratic and not symmetrical like non-cancerous growths. They can appear quickly as well and need to be taken seriously.

From letter B, we need to think about the border of growth.The border of skin cancer cannot be distinguished easily.Lookout for this in any such growth which has appeared on your skin.

The letter “C” represents color and informs you for watching out the color of any new growth on your skin.The colors of skin cancer could be brown,black,translucent,tan,blue or red.If you come across a growth in these colors it might be one of the signs of skin cancer.  Read more...

Have you ever experienced sunburn? It is in fact a very painful reminder and immediate protection is necessary to avoid its occasions in future. The research shows that sunburn has a long-term effect on both our bodies as well as our health. Resultantly our skin is more prone to what most woman fears that is aging of a delicate skin. Sunburn Skin Cancer is yet another long-term effect that cause in our bodies. Sunburns of all types accelerate the risk of three major type of what we can call the Sunburn Skin Cancer. They are categorized as Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), Squamous Cell Carcinoma(SCC) and Melanoma. Melanoma is one of the deadliest Sunburn Skin Cancers.

Ordinarily, common sunburn obliterates the cells belonging to the outer skin layer causing harm to the tiny blood vessels beneath. If the burns penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, it will spoil the elastic fibers within the skin, and over times it will turn yellowish and cause wrinkled skin. Sunburn will also destroy the protective pigment of the body called melanin that protects the skin from the UV rays. Melanin content is differing to a great extent from individual to individual. Darker skinned people tend to have more melanin than white skinned individual. It is white men who are more prone to Sunburn Skin Cancers.  Read more...

Cancer treatments often vary depending on how far the disease has progressed and what type of cancer you have been diagnosed with. Your doctor will base the decision on your medical history and how good your physical health is in the present. The treatment for skin cancer has a healthy success rate and there are greater chances survival if you realize its symptoms early and start the treatment without any delay. You should not assume the reasons yourself instead it is always wise to consult your doctor.

Different options for the treatment for basal cell carcinoma exists. One treatment is ‘Mohs Micrographic surgery’ which helps in removing the cancer without removing the surrounding tissue which is healthy. With this procedure, successive layers of cancerous tissue is removed and examined..

When the doctor continues to see cancer cells during the examination he will continue to remove the thin layers. This will allow the doctor to stop when the normal tissue is all that is left. A normal incision can also be used to remove the skin cancer, however, some of the normal tissue will be removed along with it.  Read more...

Even though skin cancer is a highly treatable form of cancer it still needs to be monitored and detected early to get the treatment that will cure it. If skin cancer is left untreated it can spread to other areas of the body and reduce the chances of survival. You should learn more about the symptoms and dangers of skin cancer.

If you don’t pay close attention to your skin, then you may not notice the signs of developing skin cancer. To prevent any problems from developing, you need to examine your own skin thoroughly at least once every 30 days.

You should be on the lookout for irregularly shaped new growths on your skin. The surface may be uneven, and there may not be an obvious outline or border to the growth. Skin cancers come in many colors, including blue, red, white, black, brown, or any combination of these. If you have found any such growth that matches this description, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible.  Read more...

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer that is diagnosed every day. It is also highly preventable and very curable if it is caught early enough. There are three different types of skin cancers that can be found on your skin.

The first form of skin cancer to emerge is squamous cell carcinoma. These neoplasms typically develop in areas which have been exposed to too much sun, more often than not the face and the ears. A lump or a swelling is often the first manifestation of squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. If left untreated, it ulcerates into an unhealing open sore which continues to grow in size. In the later stages it can also spread to other parts of the body.

A type of skin cancer is called basal cell carcinoma. The face, hands and neck are where these are usually located, and up to seventy five percent are included in all diagnosed skin cancers. If you detect it early enough, basal cell carcinoma can be treated very effectively. If you have a sore that bleeds and is irritated, that may be basal cell carcinoma. This cancer can also look like a fresh scar.  Read more...