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Author:
Edward Bennett

Sun-seekers concerned about the threat of skin cancer can now take a quick test to find out how badly they might have been damaged.

The scientific test, whose launch comes as holiday-makers make their plans to top up their tans during warm Christmas breaks, can quickly determine how much damage sunbathers have inflicted on their skin over many years. Numerous campaigns have attempted to inform sun-seekers of the dangers from ultraviolet radiation linked with getting the perfect tan. Despite this, cases of skin cancer continue to rise with more than six thousand new cases of malignant melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer, diagnosed in the UK. Rates of skin cancer are going up rapidly among teenagers and young adults, with cases doubling in the last twenty years. Only last month the increased use of sunbeds and beach holidays were blamed for skin cancer becoming more common.

The new test, called Skin-physical, draws on work by skin cancer experts at Newcastle University, together with Canadian company Genesis Genomics. The Skin-Physical test is being offered via branches of the court house clinics.

Patients who opt for the test will give a small sample of their skin from just above the elbow. The sample is sent off for the laboratory tests and the results are used to provide customised sun-safety advice, that is available within a couple of days.

The advice the test can provide you with is such as the appropriate sun protection factor and star rating of sun cream patients should use and further advice on how to apply it.

It also informs patients about behaviour changes they should make to increase their sun protection and would allow them to enjoy the sun, but to enjoy it more safely.

About the author:

Edward Bennett,
Online PR for Court House Clinic, Cosmetic Surgery.

| Article Keywords: Skin Cancer

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Skin Cancer... Skin Cancer: Clarifying the Three Types There are three main types of skin cancers. Melanoma is a skin cancer that starts in moles and can spread rapidly through your body and kill you. Moles that have irregular borders and multiple colors should be removed to be checked for melanoma. Moles that have smooth circular borders and are of one color are almost never melanoma cancers. The second type of skin cancer is called squamous cell cancer. These can occasionally spread through the body and be fatal. The third and most common type, basal cell skin cancer, rarely spreads through the body and can be cured just by taking out 100 percent of the lesion. They are called cancers because they keep on growing through everything around them until they are completely removed. Basal cell skin cancers fall apart and feel like marshmallows when they are scraped. All a doctor has to do is to inject an anaesthetic into the lesion, scrape the basal cell cancer until he feels the hard resistance of normal skin. He then burns an area of normal skin around the lesion to guarantee the removal of the entire cancer. You can suspect that you have a basal cell skin cancer when you develop a red scaly area on the surface of a light-exposed area of skin. That is probably an actinic keratosis that can often be removed just by applying a special cream called imiquimod. However, if you leave the red area in place, it can go deeper and became a skin cancer. You can suspect that the actinic keratosis has gone deeper when the surface feels rough like sandpaper. If you let it grow further, it can become an elevated area with a fine pearly border. Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or...