Skin Cancer
Skin cancer is the most common kind of cancer in the United States. There are different types of this disease. The two most common are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer. Melanoma, another type, is less common, but more dangerous. Nearly 70,000 Americans are diagnosed with melanoma each year, and it causes 8,700 deaths. Melanoma is now twice as common as it was two decades ago. The increase is so dramatic that the U.S. Surgeon General has issued a call to action to take steps to prevent melanoma.
One way to protect yourself from skin cancer is by protecting your skin from getting too much of the sun's ultraviolet light. It's especially important to avoid getting sunburned, as this increases the risk of melanoma. Using sunscreen and wearing protective clothing, including a hat with a brim, are good ways to do this.
While sun protection is important for adults, it's even more important for children. Most of the average American's sun exposure happens before age 18. Even a couple of blistering sunburns in childhood increase the risk of later skin cancer.
Skin Cancer Articles
People who are diligent about sun protection can still develop skin spots, growths, or other abnormalities. While most spots and growths are benign, people should monitor anything new for two weeks to a month. If it’s still there, or has evolved in any way, like changes in size or colors, then get it checked by a dermatologist.
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Squamous cells are small, flat skin cells in the outer layer of skin. When these cells become cancerous, they typically develop into flat or raised, rounded skin tumors. Sometimes the skin around the tumors gets red and swollen.
Most cases of squamous cell carcinoma occur in people who have spent lots of time in the sun—especially those with fair skin and blue eyes. Some cases develop on skin that has been injured or exposed to cancer-causing agents. This type of squamous cell cancer can develop on:
Scars, burns, and long-lasting ulcers
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About 58 million people have at least one actinic keratosis (AK), a precancerous skin growth caused by too much sun exposure. Yet, most people don’t see the potential danger of these lesions because they are small, with few if any annoying symptoms, and can go away almost as fast as they appear. Still, people need to watch out for AKs and get the appropriate treatment from a dermatologist because if left alone, they can turn into squamous cell skin cancer, the second most common type of skin cancer.
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A study found that sunscreen chemicals are absorbed into the body, prompting the FDA to recommend further study to ensure that they are safe. In the meantime, people are not advised to change their sunscreen practices. Protecting the skin from the sun should involve not only sunscreen, but also other measures, such as wearing sunglasses, hats, and other protective clothing.
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Zinc oxide (ZO) is one of the most effective ingredients in sunscreen to protect against damaging rays. New research has found that ZO nanoparticles don’t penetrate the skin or damage skin on a cellular level from repeated applications.
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Nonmelanoma skin cancers are unlikely to be life-threatening, but they can cause disfiguration and other problems. The cancers should be removed.
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Beware of products that claim to provide the benefits of sunscreen in a pill.
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Covering up and following other sun safety strategies can protect young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women from the sun.
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Cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) skin cancers have more than doubled over the past decade, especially among men. However, BCC and SCC are rarely deadly and are easy to treat if they are caught early. It is also easy to lower your risk by following standard sun protection practices, including using proper sunscreen, avoiding the sun during peak exposure times, and wearing sun protection clothing and hats.
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Sunscreen can be helpful in preventing premature aging from sun exposure as well as skin cancer. Some people mistakenly believe that sunscreen is ineffective or dangerous, but research shows this is not true. While sunscreen is one measure people should take to protect their skin, they should also take steps to minimize sun exposure and use protective clothing to further prevent potential damage from ultraviolet rays.
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