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Author:
John Woolf

There are over one million new cases of skin cancer diagnosed every year in the United States, representing about half of all cancers diagnosed in the country. And skin cancer on a dramatic increase. There are twice as many skin cancers in our population today as there were 20 years ago. Given this rate of increase, chances are about 50/50 that you will develop at least one skin cancer lesion if you live to age 70. This is especially true if you are fair-skinned. While skin cancer can occur in people of all races, those with lighter skin have a much higher risk because their skin contains less of the pigment melanin, which helps protect against an overdose of the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays, which can lead to skin cancer over time. The effect is apparently cumulative. A body of evidence also suggests that this also applies if you decide to go the "fake bake" route of the tanning salons.

Thankfully, most skin cancers, about 95 percent, are not life threatening. Skin cancer falls into two broad areas: basal-cell cancer / sqamous-cell cancer, and melanoma. The two most common of these cancers are the basal-cell and sqamous-cell carcinomas. These typically are easily treated, usually with surgery, and rarely lead to death. If neglected, however, over time, these can eventually lead to disfigurement and/or can spread with dire consequences. Only about 5 percent of all skin cancers are malignant melanomas, but these are far more dangerous and account for almost all deaths due to skin cancer. This aggressive form of cancer needs to be addressed immediately. Like most cancers, the risk of malignant melanomas will increase with age. If you feel you have developed any type of skin cancer be sure to see a dermatologist at once.

Most skin cancers, as one might imagine, occur on the face, neck and hands as these are the areas that receive the most exposure to the sun due to the fact that most of us wear clothes. These are also the areas that are most exposed to the view of others. As the usual AMA's (American Medical Association) approach to skin cancer is knife and needle, this can leave unsightly scars just where you might not want any.

But there are alternatives. Having had a number of non-melanoma skin cancers, I've had the opportunity to try both the AMA (have the scars to prove it) as well as several "alternative" approaches. The method of treatment that I've settled on is the herb Chaparral. Chaparral is a plant that grows in the deserts of the southwestern U.S. and has been used historically by the indigenous populations of the region for a number of ailments. Today, it can be found in powder form at most health food stores. A small bag is all one needs and only cost a few bucks.

I make a paste by mixing the powder with wheat germ oil (also found at your local health food store) and apply it directly to the lesion. Then I cover it with a Band-Aid. I do this once in the morning (after my shower) and again in the evening for six or seven days- carefully removing the old paste with a Q-tip. The advantages I have found are as follows: No pain. Perhaps a slight tingling at first. As chaparral only targets the cancerous cells, without affecting the surrounding normal tissue, my skin can quickly begin to repair itself naturally after the cancer is gone leaving usually just a "new skin" pink spot for several months. And all this at a fraction of the cost of a surgical procedure.

If this all seems a bit strange to you, please understand that this is nothing new. There are a number of books that have been written that offer other non-evasive, less painful methods of treating basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers as well. I would recommend the book, The Skin Cancer Answer: The Natural Treatment for Basal and Sqamos-Cell Carcinomas and Keratoses. This book is priced right, easy to read and provides you with what many might feel is a better method of treatment. But check around- and see what work best for you, knowing that many others have taken the non-AMA approach. In any event, use a dermatologist to diagnose what type of skin condition you might have, discuss it with him, but know that there may be cost effective, alternatives to the knife and needle.

John Woolf is the founder of several successful Internet technology companies including the Book Price Comparison website CompareBook.com. As a pragmatist of the world around him, he is both a critic and crusader on international politics and energy policy as it relates to our security and our impact on the global environment.

Visit CompareBook.com to read reviews, find similar titles, and search for the lowest possible price for The Skin Cancer Answer and other great books.

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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... Melanoma Cancer Melanoma is a skin disease where cancerous cells grow in the melanocytes, the cells that generate skin color. Melanoma is either known as malignant melanoma or cutaneous melanoma. Of all types of skin cancer plaguing mankind, melanoma is considered the most serious. The epidermis, or the topmost layer of the skin, contains three types of cells liable to become cancerous. Those are squamous cells, basal cells and melanocytes. Squamous cell cancer and basal cell cancer are known as non-melanoma skin cancers. They are more widespread than melanoma. Melanoma, which is relatively less common than the other two, is indubitably more serious and complicated to treat than either squamous cell cancer or basal cell cancer. Though it is normally found in adults, melanoma can be sporadically spotted in children and young people. The cancer generally grows in an already existing mole or a new mole that appears on the skin. Men commonly get melanomas on the area between the hips and the shoulders, the neck or the head. Women, on the other hand, contract the disease mostly on the arms of the legs. In exceptional cases, it can grow in body parts that are not covered by the skin, such as mouth, eyes, large intestines or vagina. Melanoma can be cured if diagnosed early. Unlike other types of skin cancer, however, it can rapidly reach other parts of the body through the lymph system or the blood. Melanoma is responsible for about 80% of deaths occurring from skin cancer, although it constitutes less than 5% of all skin cancer cases. In the United States, the reported number of melanoma cases is growing alarmingly. Melanoma provides detailed information on Melanoma, Malignant Melanoma, Melanoma Cancer, Nodular Melanoma and more. Melanoma is affiliated with Ozone Generator ....