What are the skin cancer warning signs and what can be done to help prevent skin cancer?
In recent years, a lot of attention has been focused on the prevention of skin cancer. Of course, skin cancer is not a new disease but as scientists have learned more about how to prevent it, they realized that early detection is the key. It is important, therefore, that people are aware of what they can do to prevent skin cancer and what to keep an eye out for so that they can catch the cancer in time.
There are two main risk factors for skin cancer. The first is sun exposure. People who live in sunny areas, people who are continuously exposed to the sunlight, or people who were badly sunburned as children are all at a higher risk. Fair-skinned people are high risk as well. It is important that everyone be protected when they go out in the sun. Sunscreen should be worn all the time, even if the day seems cloudy or not that hot. This is especially important for those with fair skin and for children. If you are going to be exposed to the sun for a long period of time, you should try to cover up as much skin as possible with hats, long pants, or jackets. Young children should always wear a wide-brimmed hat when playing out in the sun. The second component of skin cancer risk is genetic. Some people are just more apt to get skin cancer than others. There is nothing you can do about this, but if you know you are at a greater risk because of your family, you should be even more vigilant in checking for skin cancer warning signs.
There are several types of skin cancer, and they all present slightly different. Melanoma is one of the rarer skin cancers, but it is also the most deadly. Catching melanoma early is important, so everyone should make checks of their bodies on a monthly basis, just like a monthly breast exam is recommended for women. One way to remember the warning signs of melanoma is the mnemonic “ABCDE.” The A stands for asymmetrical. Check any moles on your body. Asymmetrical moles could be malignant. B stand for border. If the border of the mole or mark looks irregular, then get it checked out. C stands for color. Moles that are multiple colors could be cancerous. D stands for diameter. If you have a mole that measures more than 5 mm, it is at greater risk for being a melanoma. E can stand for evolution or elevation. Evolution means how the mole has appeared over time. Has it changed color, shape, or size? This is a sign that cancer might be developing. Elevation means that mole is raised up above the skin. If you have any of these warning signs, you should make an appointment to see your doctor right away.
Skin cancer can present in different ways and a doctor will need to examine you to determine if a mole or area of skin needs to be checked further. A biopsy is usually done and the sample is checked for malignancy.
Early detection of skin cancer is important. Many doctors are including skin checks during yearly physicals. If you are concerned about an area of your body, discuss it with your doctor. They can let you know if more testing should be done.

Although there are several types of skin cancer, the most common are melanoma, basal call carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma.
Although melanoma is not found as often as other skin cancers, it is one of the most well known because it causes the most deaths related to skin cancer. Melanoma is hard to treat, with the most effective option being simply removing the part of the skin that is affected. However, this has to be done early in order to be at all successful. There are approximately 160,000 new cases of melanoma each year. Approximately 48,000 people die of melanoma each year. Melanoma can be caused by exposure to the sun. This is particularly significant if a person has had a bad sunburn during childhood. White males usually get melanoma more than any other group, and people living in sunny climates are at higher risk. There is also a genetic risk factor.
Melanomas are usually noticed by detecting a change in skin moles. If there is any change to the mole, this might mean that a melanoma is present. Individuals should check their moles to see if the size, color or shape has changed. They should also alert their doctor if a mole becomes itchy or starts to bleed. If a patient has a family history of melanoma, they should be examined by a doctor at least once a year as part of a preventative plan.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a tumor of the epithelium cells. It occurs in many areas of the body besides the skin including the mouth, lungs and cervix. Squamous cell carcinomas make up about 20% of all skin cancer cases. It is most often caused by continuous exposure to sunlight over a long period of time. If an area is suspected to be cancerous, a biopsy will be done. If cancer is found, surgery will be done to remove the area.
The most common form of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma. In the United States, there are approximately 800,000 new cases per year. It occurs most commonly in individuals who have fair skin and have been exposed to the sun. There is also a genetic component, as this cancer also occurs in areas which are not exposed to the sun. Luckily, basal cell carcinomas rarely cause death and can be treated successfully in most cases. They can cause disfiguration when the cancer is on the nose, lips, ears, or eyes.
If you suspect that you might have skin cancer, you should contact your doctor or a dermatologist to have the area examined. It is also a good idea to have your doctor check out your skin during your yearly physical.

Some of us might love a healthy tan but others (like myself) prefer to shy away from the sun. Either way, sun protection is still a must. Harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun can cause skin cancer and premature aging of the skin.
To be sufficiently protected, you will need a sunscreen that can protect you from UVA and UVB rays. UVA rays are the ones that cause sagging and wrinkles, and the level of protection from these rays is shown by a PA rating system, with PA+++ being the highest index.
UVB rays are the ones that cause burning and spots. The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of a sunscreen shows how long you will be protected from UVB rays. For example, if you usually take 10 mins in the sun to get burned, a sunscreen of SPF 15 will protect you for 15 times longer (150 mins). I recommend at least SPF 30 and PA+++ for daily use and SPF 50 if you are planning to stay in the sun for hours.
Everyone needs sunscreen, not only the fair-skinned. Though darker skin provides some natural form of sun protection, it doesn't prevent skin cancer and sunburn. Also, remember to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours or so, or more often if you sweat a lot or go swimming. This is because some of your sunscreen will come off (even if it's waterproof), and thus offer less protection.
Lastly, don't miss out places such as your ears, feet, nose, eyelids when applying sunscreen. I once forgot to apply sunscreen on my ears before going out for hours in the sun and I ended up with pinkish sun-burnt ears for a week! Ouch.

Skin cancer is the most prevalent of all cancers. When our body comes in the contact of sunlight there may be chances of skin cancers. and it results in sunburn and blistering. There are three forms of skin cancer:

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma – This skin cancer may appear as a bump or as a red, scaly patch. It is the second most common skin cancer found in fair-skinned persons and is typically found on the rim of the ear, face lips and mouth.

• Malignant Melanoma – This is the most deadly of all skin cancers and it is estimated that 7,300 Americans die annually from melanoma. Like the less aggressive skin cancers, it is almost always curable when detected in its early stages. Excessive sun exposure, particularly sunburn, is the most important preventable cause of melanoma.

• Basal Cell Carcinoma – This skin cancer usually appears as a small, fleshy bump or nodule, most often on the head, neck and hands. Occasionally these cancers may appear on the trunk as red patches.

Skin cancer is treated with an array of surgical procedures that are dependent on the need of the individual patient. Early detection and removal offer the best chance for a cure. The best defense against skin cancer is to avoid over exposure to sunlight (including tanning), which is the main cause of skin cancer, especially when it results in sunburn and blistering. Actually every one knows that we are facing problem of ultraviolet rays due to losing ozone layer in our atmosphere. And seek shade between 10am and 4pm when ultraviolet rays are the most intense and apply sunscreen.

If you are facing any kind of skin problem then you should go for dermatologist. So that they can diagnose your skin problem at time and give you treatment according to the problem.

Diagnosis of Basal Cell Cancer

A Doctor can often diagnose basal cell carcinoma on sight. However, formal diagnosis is essential, especially given the possibility of morpheaform BCC. A skin biopsy is almost always done to confirm diagnosis. A biopsy also determines the presence of a more aggressive form of skin cancer, such as malignant melanoma.

Treatment of Basal Cell Cancer

The treatment for BCC aims at the removal of the cancer, prevent the spread of cancer, and minimize any damage from treatment to nearby healthy tissue. Treatment options may involve removal of the entire skin growth with surgery, radiation therapy and drug treatment.

Because non-melanoma skin cancer usually grows slowly, it often can be detected and treated early in its development, which increases the chance of treatment being successful. Educating the patients about self-examination is important, as recurrence of skin cancer is possible.

High Risk Groups

People with light skin colour are more at risk of getting BCC, but BCC does occur in dark skinned people. Those who have a family history of skin cancer or a personal history of skin cancer are also at a much higher risk. The risk for BCC is high in people who have had kidney or heart transplants or in those who are immuno-suppressed due to other reasons.

Skin Protection

Limiting exposure to the sun and other sun protection measures such as use of sunscreen can help prevent the development of new skin cancers and may also help prevent skin cancer from developing in new areas.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Basal Cell Cancer is one the most frequently diagnosed skin cancers. It affects the basal cells, which are located in the bottom layer of the epidermis. Malignant cells proliferate excessively from the epidermis resulting in a tumor. The incidence of basal cell cancer increases with age. Almost all people diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma can expect to live at least another 5 years.

Causes of Basal Cell Cancer

It is one the most frequently diagnosed skin cancer.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation is the main risk factor for developing BCCs. While its occurrence is more in older people, it is becoming more common in younger people even in their 20s and 30s.

Fair-skinned people have a much greater risk for BCC. Radiation treatments, as well as immune suppression, also increase one's risk. In western countries, those who use tanning beds also have an elevated risk for BCCs. People with several inherited disorders that manifest a greater sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation, have an increased prevalence of BCC.

Signs & Symptoms of Basal Cell Cancer

Basal cell carcinoma is seen most often on the head and neck, but can affect any area.

The typical signs of BCC are:

An open sore that has not healed in three weeks and is oozing, bleeding or crusting.
A irritated patch of skin, especially on the face, neck, chest, arms, or legs.
Any new, smooth skin nodule (bump) with a raised border and indented center. Or a smooth, shiny, or pearly bump that looks like a mole or cyst.

A scar especially on the face, with a shiny look of tight-looking skin, and poorly defined edges.
Occasional BCCs can be pigmented (dark), particularly in darker-skinned individuals. In these cases, the tumors manifest the same signs of a non-pigmented variant, except they are brown instead of pink.

A fairly common BCC variant is superficial BCC. It rarely invades and is typically confined to the epidermis. It is seen on the trunk and extremities and appears as a red, scaly plaque, with crusting. Because of its similarity in appearance and slow growth, to that of eczema or psoriasis, it becomes difficult to diagnose.

A form of BCC known as morpheaform or sclerosing BCC causes a more aggressive lesion. It looks whitish, without a defined edge, and is firm to the touch. It may look like a scar and can blend in fairly well with the surrounding skin, thus escaping detection for years, while continuing to spread. When these tumors are removed, they are surprisingly larger than expected.

This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.