Thursday, May 21, 2009

Potential Dangers of Skin Cancer

By Toby Johns

Let's face it, each and every one of us put ourselves at risk of getting skin cancer each time we leave our homes and expose ourselves to the sun. Even worse; many people are so obsessed with getting a tan, that they're willing to spend many hours at a time laying on a beach in direct sun. Considering that your skin is the largest organ of your body, it only stands to reason that you should be concerned about the risk of skin cancer. Furthermore, one should also bear in mind that the signs of skin cancer are always visible immediately. In fact, it can take a few years before you eventually discover the damage.

Undeniably, the ongoing depletion of the ozone layer hasn't helped matters either. In fact, we're now at an even greater risk that we were before to get one of the three forms of skin cancer which are Basil cell, Squamous Cell and Melanoma.

Our exposure to the ultra violet rays from the sun damage our skin cells resulting to skin cancer. We are quite familiar with how skin cancer manifests itself to our bodies. We get large sores or spots which may seem impossible to remove. Though these may seem harmless, they may be resistant to any treatment and will just keep on showing again and again. As with other types of cancer, cancer cells can really be aggressive, they just keep on coming around before you know it.

Yes, there certainly is a high risk of skin cancer but because we know what causes it, we can take the necessary steps to prevent it. Of course, it's just not possible for any of us to avoid the sun entirely but having said that, we can use skin protection whenever we know we'll be exposed to direct sun. Fortunately enough, there are a vast amount of products on the market to today with SPF (sun protection factor) ratings of between 15 and 80. Apart from sun-block creams and lotions, many moisturizers and other cosmetics also now have a SPF rating. While a product with a SPF 15 rating offers only minimal protection, those which have a SPF of 80 offer total protection by blocking out all the harmful ultra-violet rays.

You may want to reduce your exposure to the sun. The summer may be the most loved season of most people because it allows them to enjoy the sun at the beach but this will always increase the chances of skin cancer. Even if you are just walking short distances from one place to another, you can never be too sure. Always wear caps, sun glasses, clothes that will protect you from the sun. If it is even possible, you may want to use an umbrella for further protection from the sun.

Furthermore, one should always do some self-examination from time to time in order to help ensure early detection, should you be unfortunate enough to get skin cancer. If you notice anything strange, don't hesitate to contact a dermatologist in order to establish whether or not it's skin cancer.

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