Skin Cancer: Information, Symptoms and Solutions

It’s the season of the year again where males and females will spend their time under the sun to get the colorful glow needed to start the summer right. With tanning being popular, the majority of the population has no idea the effects of doing so. Skin cancer is a dangerous disease that can happen to many and can be the consequence of tannings. Here is information, symptoms and solutions of this disease known as skin cancer. 

There are three types of skin cancer, with melanoma being the most dangerous and potentially lethal because it can spread into other body parts. The other two non-melanoma types, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, are treatable and not as threatening or able to spread as melanoma can. 

Most skin cancer cases are of the basal cell carcinoma type, which can destroy surrounding tissue and disfigure facial skin areas if unchecked. It is advisable to check with a dermatologist if you have any unusual new moles or sores that won't heal anywhere on your skin. Skin biopsies are easy to perform. 

Mainstream medicine blames the sun for all three types, and recommends sun screen lotions to block sun exposure. But recently, the opposite has been determined to be true in both cases. Sunscreens are chemical agents that help prevent the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. UVB is the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other effects of photo aging. 

First, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication. Second, "reddening" of the skin is a reaction to UVB rays alone and tells you little about what UVA damage you may be getting. Plenty of damage can be done without the red flag of sunburn being raised. 

So whether you’re wearing sunscreen or not it’s important to stay away from the sun as much as possible. The sun can damage your skin and can also damage your health. If it’s absolutely necessary to get that perfect glow for the summer, tan less than possible.