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Author:
Damian Bennett

Skin Cancer, Often Underestimated

Skin cancer strikes an estimated three million people a year worldwide making it the most common of all types of cancer. We know the main cause of most skin cancer cases and we know how to prevent the vast majority of them. Yet still millions of people across the globe are ignoring the warnings and deliberately putting themselves at risk of developing a disease which can both maim and kill its victims.

The difficulty in tackling many types of cancer lies in the fact that no-one knows the real cause - and that's a major obstacle to prevention. Skin cancer is different. Over exposure to the sun causes most types of skin cancer (both melanoma and non-melanoma) so reducing that exposure and taking sensible precautions are obvious prevention measures.

Thanks to high profile public health campaigns in recent years, most people in the developed world are aware of the danger of damaging ultraviolet rays and know, at least to some degree, what they should be doing to protect themselves. So why do holidaymakers still flock in their droves to fry themselves on sun drenched beaches each year? And why do tens of millions of tanners across the globe expose themselves to the UV rays of artificial sun beds.

One simple answer could be that a tan is still perceived as sexy. A bronzed body has been the ultimate fashion accessory since Coco Chanel arrived back from the south of France with one in the 1920s. But in those days we didn't know the dangers of stripping off intermittently in pursuit of a sun-kissed skin. Now we do.

Many stars of the pop world and silver screen still flaunt a tan as something highly desirable (whereas many dermatologists will tell you a tan is a sign of damaged skin). Sunscreen manufacturers assure us we'll be protected from skin damage if we slap on their expensive high protection lotions (whereas studies have shown that many of these high factor lotions don't live up to the claims of their makers). And many unscrupulous tanning salon owners promote their sun beds as an aid to good health (whereas some skin specialists want them outlawed claiming they cause skin cancer.)

It seems Joe Public is at the receiving end of a lot of myths and mixed messages about a disease which now accounts for one in three of all diagnosed cancers. This site exists to provide independent information about skin cancer (its causes, prevention and treatment) and to encourage open public debate about a disease which has driven health campaigners into battle against the multi-billion-dollar tanning industry.

For all your independent, unbiased, health information Guide4Living on skin cancer. Melanoma and Non-melanoma.

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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... Skin Cancer; Early Treatment Wins the Game Skin cancer can happen to anyone and those at risk need to be smart and seek professional advice and/or early treatment. This makes sense of course but how do you know if you are at risk? Well if you work in an industry were you are exposed a lot to the sun you could be at risk. If you get sunburns quite easily or have very light skin you would be more susceptible. Also if you have blue or green eyes or have blond or red hair you will be slightly more at risk. One of the most obvious things to think about is if you have skin cancer, which runs in your family. If you have a lot of moles you may wish to have a doctor look at them to see if they are the type that can become cancerous. Children who have had very bad skin burns in their past could be at risk as adults. All doctors agree on one thing and that is of all the major types of skin cancer, early detection and treatment is your best chances for winning the game. So if you see spots on your skin, which are not symmetrical and growing these need to be checked out. The CDC says that; “The three major types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Malignant melanoma causes more than 75% of all deaths from skin cancer. This disease can spread to other organs, most commonly the lungs and liver. Malignant melanoma diagnosed at an early stage usually can be cured, but melanoma diagnosed at a late stage is more likely to spread and cause death.” For Skin Cancer; Early Treatment Wins the Game and thus ask your doctor to look at the spots on your skin to make sure they are not cancerous and keep an eye on them, be smart. Please consider all this in 2006. Lance Winslow...