One of the most common forms of cancer reported in men is Skin Cancer, and if anyone has more than 5 bad sunburns in their life, the chances of getting skin cancer are doubled. The results are staggering, that one in five Americans will get skin cancer , one of the most preventable cancers The big question is, even though it is widely known how to not get sun cancer, why is it that people still not protect their skin from the effects of the harsh sun?
In particular, men are the worst culprits. A recent study out of the University of Texas states that only 34% of men actually use sunscreen when going outside in the sun. Why do they not concern themselves about protection from the sun? This is even more shocking when a reported 78% of women do wear sunscreen to protect themselves from the midday sun. It would be easy to say that men have more outdoor jobs, where they are in the sun all day as compared with women who in the past have worked indoors, but this is not true today. More women are working and playing outdoors but still they are more likely to wear sun screen and cover up.
One of the major differences in men and women in the problem of getting the males to wear protection, is that women are generally more concerned about their appearance than men are. Women are inundated with the message of younger, softer skin, where as men often think that it is masculine to have tanned weathered faces. Plus their role models are such as Clint Eastwood, with his craggy, handsome but darkly tanned face.
Women also more often wear some type of skin cream that they put on in the morning, and often the manufacturers of this skin cream have included some type of SPF in it, giving them protection that they really don't even have to think about.
Hopefully, men will get smart and realize that putting on a cream in the morning is not only good for their skin, but can also prevent the epidemic of skin cancer that affects them. There are many creams now that are none scented and although the advertisements are generally geared towards woman, these are ideal for men to use. If they can get into the habit of using sunscreen, not just on their faces but their bodies, the number of males that will get skin cancer will decrease dramatically.
There are certain times when it is wise to stay out of the sun, certainly between 11 A.M. to 3P.M. and if they have to go out during these times, they should make sure they are covered with a collared shirt, pants and always a hat. Regular use of a sun block of SPF 30 or more is recommended, and all parts of the skin that are exposed to the sun should have sun block on it. This includes the face, hands, arms and legs, but also the back of the neck, the ears, and especially the top of the head on balding men. Reapplication after swimming or sweating should be second nature.
With a little bit of common sense, Skin Cancer, one of the fastest growing and totally preventable cancers can be avoided and hopefully one day, eliminated.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Georgina_Grant

Experts state that the best way to check to see if you have skin cancer is to do a monthly examination, checking moles, birthmarks and skin bumps for any changes. A yearly examination by your doctor is also recommended. Most people have many moles, freckles, and birthmarks on their bodies, but since they are so common, it is easy not to notice any slight changes in them. Since early detection is key to curing skin cancer, it is important to really notice the bumps and spots on your body. A common practice is to have a notebook where you note the position and appearance of any marks on your body so that any changes will be obvious.
All three main kinds of skin cancer are visible to the human eye, including melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer. Melanoma is the most difficult form of skin cancer to stop once it has started to spread though the body, so it is important to watch for it and get early treatment. The true fact is that all skin cancer is treatable if detected early enough.
You should check for a change in a moles size, shape or color, and if the edges change. If a mole starts to grow, and becomes as large as or larger than a pencil eraser, or if it is not a solid brown, but multi colored, you should immediately go to a doctor. This is a potential warning of the onset of skin cancer. If a mole starts to bleed or grows rapidly, or you notice any changes, it is wise to get it checked out by a physician immediately.
If you are in doubt about going to a doctor, thinking that the change is not that apparent, in this case it is always better to be safe than sorry. Go to your family doctor who will advise you to go to a dermatologist if needed. You should be prepared to ask your doctor any questions that you have and you should not be afraid to find out the facts about the treatment and the likelihood for success. If indeed the diagnosis is not good, your doctor may recommend you to a therapist who deals in patient crisis.
To test to confirm or deny the presence of skin cancer, all or part of the questionable area is removed, and examined under a microscope. If it is skin cancer, surgery is often used to remove the cancerous area, a quick and painless procedure in the early stages. There may be a scar left from the removal of all of the cancerous cells, but usually the doctor is able to use a very small incision, so the scar is usually small enough not to be noticeable. If the cancer is large, or has spread to the surrounding area, the doctor may tell you that more surgery is needed, along with a course of radiation or chemotherapy treatments.
The best advice for prevention of skin cancer is to cover up when you go out into the sun, wear sunscreen, cover up, and be smart by paying attention to your skin and any changes.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Georgina_Grant

The causes of other types of cancers are totally unknown. But the cause of skin cancer can be detected easily. People who are continuously exposed to the harmful radioactive substances or harmful ultraviolet or infrared rays are prone to skin cancer easily. Usually the workers who continuously work in polluted environment damage the quality of their skin within a shorter period of time. Hence due to the continuous deposits of dirt on the body the texture of the skin is deteriorated. Many expert researchers have successfully researched the harmful effects of harmful radiations on the skin. Hence everybody should become aware about the root causes of skin cancer. Following are the factors that result in skin cancer:
a. Ultra Violet Radiations:
The ozone layer that prevents the earth from extreme climatic conditions is already punctured slightly. Due to the ecological imbalance in the earth, people are easily affected by the ultraviolet rays of the sun. but even when there is ecological imbalance and continuous exposure of the sun rays the skin is deteriorated and hence you become easily prone to skin cancer. You must be careful not to absorb sunlight too often.
b. x-rays.
X-rays contain some radioactive substances that weaken the skin cells. In this way x-rays also cause skin cancer. Frequent x-rays causes serious health hazards to his skin.
c. immunosupression:
The immune system that is present in our body fights against the foreign agents that attack the foreign elements that penetrate into the body. But if the immune system is weakened then the harmful foreign substances easily enter into our body and even if you are exposed to the ultraviolet radiations for a shorter time then you may become prone to skin cancer.
d. Contact with chemicals:
Now-a-days due to the growth of hard industries many people become exposed to harmful chemicals in their day to-day life. Some of the harmful chemicals which are released by the industries are hydrocarbons, arsenic etc. the skin is basically sensitive to these chemicals and causes reactions. This case is very common with people working with tar. As the skin undergoes chemical changes it develops cancer due to carcinogenic effect.
There are many other ill-effects of cancer:
a. people who already have had skin disorders continuously and persistently have had their skin cells weakened and hence they develop skin cancer easily.
b. If a person has already suffered from skin cancer earlier and has been treated has his skin cells weakened and he develops skin cancer easily.
c. A person should be careful if his family members have already suffered from this disease earlier.
d. If a person has dysplastic mole in his skin, then he develops the disease easily.
e. Experts have proved that people with fair skin develop skin cancer easily.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aakash_Shah

The cases of skin cancers are increasing every year and many deaths are being caused from this disease today. In most of the countries the incidences of skin cancers are the highest when compared to the occurrences of other cancers. The rate of incidence is the highest in the United States. Every year in the states nearly 1 million people are affected by this disease. Even such developed countries were not able to curb the rate of occurrences so far. Gradually, the rate of deaths due to occurrences is also increasing every year. Out of the 10 cancer patients at least 3 persons die from the disease every year. The doctors state that people suffering from malignant skin cancer survive for five years. But they do not show good signs of health in their five years. If the cancer has not spread to the other tissues thus damaging them, then the chances of survival is 85%. In case if the cancer has spread to the other tissues then the chance of survival is below 70%. Worldwide, nearly 3 million people suffer from this disease every year.
The disease is mainly caused to the people between 50- 60 years of age. But at the same time it does not mean that the youngsters are associated with the risks of occurrence. Genes also affect the factor of skin cancer as the dark skinned people such as Africans do not develop the disease easily. People with fair skin develop it more easily. In America the rate of incidence is the highest. Anglo Saxons are more easily prone to this disease when compared to the other races.
To some extent the development of cancer depends upon the habits of an individual. If a child continuously gets exposed to sun exposure and makes loitering a habit then he becomes more vulnerable to skin cancer. The reason is that the sun radiate harmful ultraviolet rays and thus causes cacogenic effect on the skin. The BCC and SCC is more releveant to people between the age group of 50 and 60, but melanoma commonly occurs among the people between 20-39 years. Melanoma is the most severe disease compared to the other two because the cancerous cells spread to the other tissues more easily.
Skin cancers are mostly caused by the unhealthy habits of the people and due to their negligence of the skin. When a person develops skin cancer the infection rapidly spreads to the other areas of the skin and it persistently causes irritation to him. A person who is continuously exposed to ultraviolet radiations or radioactive substances is most likely to develop skin cancer. Hence every individual should take of his skin every now and then. He must not allow himself to get often exposed to harmful rays that can create skin problems. They must lead a healthy lifestyle and often take care of their skin. Even if they are facing minor skin problems they must the skin specialist. At the initial stage, the cancer can be treated completely. But as the cancer develops the treatment of this problem becomes difficult. If the disease is not diagnosed at an early stage, then the chances of survival also minimize.
The causes of other types of cancers are totally unknown. But the cause of skin cancer can be detected easily. People who are continuously exposed to the harmful radioactive substances or harmful ultraviolet or infrared rays are prone to skin cancer easily. Usually the workers who continuously work in polluted environment damage the quality of their skin within a shorter period of time. Hence due to the continuous deposits of dirt on the body the texture of the skin is deteriorated. Many expert researchers have successfully researched the harmful effects of harmful radiations on the skin. Hence everybody should become aware about the root causes of skin cancer.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aakash_Shah