About Skin Cancer

Exposure to sun causes most of the Wrinkles and Age Spots on our faces and bodies, and it can lead to much more serious consequences, including Skin Cancer.

Beware and take care of skin cancer

What is skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US, and the number of cases continues to rise. It is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells
While healthy cells grow and divide in an orderly way, cancer cells grow and divide in a rapid, haphazard manner. This rapid growth results in tumors that are either benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
There are three main types of skin cancer:
- Basal cell carcinoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Melanoma
Basal cell and squamous cell cancers are less serious types and make up 95% of all skin cancers. Also referred to as non-melanoma skin cancers, they are highly curable when treated early
Melanoma, made up of abnormal skin pigment cells called melanocytes, is the most serious form of skin cancer and causes 75% of all skin cancer deaths. Left untreated, it can spread to other organs and is difficult to control

Signs and symptoms of skin cancer

Signs and Symptoms Of Skin Cancer

The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, typically a new mole, a new skin lesion or a change in an existing mole
Basal cell carcinoma may appear as a small, smooth, pearly, or waxy bump on the face, or neck, or as a flat, pink/red- or brown-colored lesion on the trunk, arms or legs
Squamous cell carcinoma can appear as a firm, red nodule, or as a rough, scaly, flat lesion that may itch, bleed and become crusty. Both basal cell and squamous cell cancers mainly occur on areas of the skin frequently exposed to the sun, but can occur anywhere
Melanoma usually appears as a pigmented patch or bump. It may resemble a normal mole, but usually has a more irregular appearance
When looking for melanoma, think of the ABCDE rule that tells you the signs to watch for:
- Asymmetry: The shape of one half doesn't match the other.
- Border: Edges are ragged or blurred.
- Color: Uneven shades of brown, black, tan, red, white or blue.
- Diameter: A significant change in size (greater than 6 mm).
- Evolution: Changes in the way a mole or lesion looks or feels (itchy, bleeding, etc)

Risk factors

Skin Cancer Risk Factors

According to the CDC (US Centers for Desease Control and Prevention), anyone can get skin cancer, but people with certain characteristics are at greater risk. These are:
A lighter natural skin color.
Skin that burns, freckles, reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun.
Blue or green eyes.
Blond or red hair.
Certain types and a large number of moles.
A family history of skin cancer.
A personal history of skin cancer.
Older age

Old People are more at risk of skin cancer

Older People Are More At Risk

Cancer in older people is a common problem worldwide
Among various types of cancer, skin cancers represent an important percentage
The principal risk factors are sun exposure, family history of skin cancer, fair skin color, but also the age plays an important role in the genesis of skin cancers
In older people there are a more prolonged exposure to carcinogenesis and a decreased functionality of reparation mechanisms of the cells so they acquire a selective advantage of growing and proliferating
At the same time age causes alteration in the immune system
In elderly patients the diagnosis and the treatment of skin cancers can be different from their younger counterpart

DNA Is affected by sun rays

The DNA is Affected

Most often, gene changes related to Skin Cancers are acquired during a person’s lifetime and are not passed on to a person’s children (inherited). In some cases, these acquired mutations seem to happen randomly within a cell, without having a clear cause. In other cases, they likely happen as the result of exposure to an outside cause
For example, ultraviolet (UV) rays are clearly a major cause of melanoma. UV rays can damage the DNA in skin cells. Sometimes this damage affects certain genes that control how the cells grow and divide. If these genes no longer work properly, the affected cells may become cancer cells
Most UV rays come from sunlight, but some can come from man-made sources such as tanning beds. Some DNA damage from UV exposure might happen in the few years before the cancer appears, but much of it could be from exposures that happened many years earlier
Children and young adults often get a lot of intense sun exposure that might not result in cancer until many years or even decades later

Sun Burn is Dangerous

Avoid Sun Burn

Too much exposure to UVB rays can lead to sunburn. UVA rays can travel more deeply into the skin than UVB rays, but both can affect your skin health
Episodes of severe blistering sunburns, usually before age 18, can cause melanoma later in life, while cumulative sun exposure causes mainly basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer
Exposure to sunlight during the winter months puts you at the same risk as exposure during the summertime
Your skin does have some ways to prevent or repair such damage. The outermost layer of skin constantly sheds dead skin cells and replaces them. This is noticeable when your skin peels after a sunburn, but it usually gets back to normal in a week or two
Use all or part of the Guidelines by the FDA to protect your skin from the Sun, but under any circumstances always avoid sunburn

ninety percent 90%

Sun Exposure - 90% of Skin Cancer

Ninety percent of skin cancers are caused by sun exposure, wheter that is chronic exposure or intermittent sunburns
Sun exposure is the same whether it comes directly from the sun, from tanning booths, or even through your car or home windows

twenty four hours 24 Hr

2 Deaths Every Hour

Each hour 2 persons die from skin cancer in the U.S.
In the U.S., each year, 2,800 people die of non-melanoma skin cancer and 8,000 die of melanoma skin cancer
More than 5,400 people worldwide die of nonmelanoma skin cancer every month
All these deaths are preventable by simply protecting one's self from the sun

fifty percent 50%

50% Of All Cancers

Skin cancer accounts for more than 50% of all other cancers combined
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer among men and women

one million

1 Million+ Per Year

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 1 million (around 1.5 million) cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed this year

Ethnic Dependence

Ethnics Matter

Although the risk factor is lower for this ethnics, Skin cancer is most deadly for African Americans, Asians and Latinos
1 in 5 Americans will be diagnosed in their lifetime with skin cancer
1 in 3 Caucasians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime

Twice

Double The Risk

One bad burn in childhood doubles the risk factor for melanoma later in life
Protecting children against UV exposure is essential for skin health into adulthood

Men versus Women

Men Vs Women

Men are diagnosed with Skin Cancer more often than women
Men are twice as likely to develop Skin Cancer as women. It is more common that prostate cancer
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in men over 50

No tanning beds

Indoor Tanning

The International Agency for Research on Cancer, an affiliate of the World Health Organization, includes ultraviolet (UV) tanning devices in its Group 1, a list of agents that are cancer-causing to humans. Group 1 also includes agents such as plutonium, cigarettes and solar UV radiation
More people develop skin cancer because of indoor tanning than develop lung cancer because of smoking
Indoor tanning devices can emit UV radiation in amounts 10 to 15 times higher than the sun at its peak intensity
Eighteen states plus the District of Columbia prohibit people younger than 18 from using indoor tanning devices
Brazil and Australia have banned indoor tanning altogether

Skin Aging

An estimated 90 percent of skin aging is caused by the sun
Sun damage is cumulative. Only about 23 percent of lifetime exposure occurs by age 18
People who use sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher daily show 24 percent less skin aging than those who do not use sunscreen daily

Early warning

Early Screening And Detection

Vigilance, screening, detection and treatment is essential for Skin Cancer
When detected early, Skin Cancer has a greater than 95% cure rate

Annual Cost

Cost Of Treating

On the latest statistics, from 2007 to 2011, in the U.S. Skin Cancer accounted for an average annual treatment cost of $8.1 billion
This account was divided approximately in about $4.8 billion for non-melanoma Skin Cancers and $3.3 billion for melanomas

Miami Beach Body Sunscreen

The Use of Sunscreen as Prevention

The US CDC (Centers For Disease Control And Prevention) recommend you to put on broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher before you go outside, even on slightly cloudy or cool days. Don’t forget to put a thick layer on all parts of exposed skin. Get help for hard-to-reach places like your back. And remember, sunscreen works best when combined with other options to prevent UV damage
Sunscreen wears off. Put it on again if you stay out in the sun for more than two hours and after swimming, sweating, or toweling off.
When used as directed, sunscreen is proven to decrease your risk of skin cancers and skin precancers. It can reduce your risk of developing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) by about 40 percent, and lower your melanoma risk by 50 percent. It also helps prevent premature skin aging caused by the sun, including wrinkles, sagging and age spots.
Use all or part of the Guidelines by the FDA to protect your skin from the Sun, but under any circumstances always avoid sunburn