What is Skin cancer?
Skin cancer is an irregular growth of skin cells that occurs most often in areas exposed to the sun, but it may also occur in the regions that are not exposed to the sun. The cells involved characterise the two major types of skin cancers.
Here are five things that you MUST know about Skin Cancer:
- Melanoma is deadly.
The first and foremost thing that you must know about skin cancer is that it is deadly. According to the Academy of Dermatology, more than 1 million new skin cancer cases are diagnosed every year. It is almost like an unrecognised pandemic that does not seem to stop.
- It is largely preventable.
Another thing that you must know about skin cancer or Melanoma is that it is mainly preventable too. Getting sun is an integral part of our culture, but unfortunately, it can also be the death of us. Since the sun handles 90% of all skin cancers, reducing midday exposure or using sunscreen while going out is by far the most successful way to prevent developing skin cancer. Besides that, you also need to keep up with your doctor and book an appointment with Life Medical Clinic to ensure that you are safe.
In case you are worried about the level of Vitamin-D in your body, indeed, the sun provides you ample amounts of the vitamin, but you can receive the same from various other food products.
- Just a sun-screen is not enough.
This may come as a shock to you, but your sunscreen is not enough to protect you from the wrath of the sun and skin cancer. The sun sends two kinds of harmful rays, UVA and UVB. While both cause skin cancer, your sun-screen protects you only from the UVB rays. For the sake of protecting yourself, it is recommended that you apply sunscreen with SPF 30 or more after every two hours positively. Develop everyday healthy habits to live a disease-free life.
- Men are more prone to it.
Believe it or not but men are more prone to get sunburned in comparison to women. Men over 40 have the highest exposure to the sun’s harmful rays – ultraviolet radiation. This might be because men work outside for most of the day, and they are doubtful to wear sun-screen while working.
- Suntans are not healthy for you.
Contrary to popular belief, your quality suntan out in the sun is not healthy for you. UV rays from the sun end up frying the inner layer of your skin. This causes your body to release even more melanin pigment, which darkens the outer layer as a protective measure. Tans further lead to wrinkles; however, they do not protect against skin cancer.
How to treat Skin Cancer?
Skin cancer, although deadly if the treated right, can be cured too. Some of the popular ways to help treat skin cancer are Chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, photodynamic therapy, Excisional Surgery, Mohs Surgery, Freezing, and many more.
