Skin cancer 101

Cancer is a scary thing to consider, even skin cancer. While it is a common type of cancer, and usually treatable, skin cancer is still serious and should not be treated lightly. People should learn about skin cancer, how to prevent it, how it is diagnosed, and treated. The following is an overview of skin cancer.

First: Prevention.

While it is good to learn how to treat skin cancer, it is best to never get it. The fact is that while there are options to stop the cancer from spreading, you can never completely undo the effects of damage to your skin, so it is best to never let them happen in the first place. Keep your skin healthy by avoiding sun exposure and by doing the following:

1. Use sunscreen. This is advice that seems to be as old as time, but it is still true. You want to use a higher than 15 SPF, and apply it at least 30 minutes before you go out into the sun. Then, make sure you reapply it at least every two hours, more frequently if you are in water.

2. Choose products for your body that offer UV protection. For example, your daily moisturizer may have SPF 15. You want to protect your eyes as well. They aren't going to get skin cancer, but they can be damaged, so choose to wear sunglasses with UV protection, or contact lenses with UV protection.

3. Avoid the times of day when UV radiation is at its peak. You do not want to be out in the sun between 10 am and 3 pm if you can help it. This is when your skin is exposed to the most UV rays, and thus when you are at the highest risk for skin cancer.

4. Pay attention to your skin. If you notice new growths, or a change to existing growths, that can indicate skin cancer, so avoid sun exposure completely and get it treated.

Second: Diagnosis

While many doctors can look at your skin and say you have skin cancer, it is only conjecture until a biopsy is performed. The doctor will take a sample of skin tissue and examine it under a microscope. They will then determine how much skin cancer you have, an if they can do a biopsy to get rid of it, or will need something more.

Third: Treatment.
The treatment depends on the person, severity, and type of skin cancer. In addition, the location and size of the area is important.

If your skin cancer is non-melanoma, skin cancer your treatment options may include laser removal, chemo, freezing of the area, a process called electrodesiccation, where the skin cancer cells are scrapped away, or a surgery where the cancerous tissue, and a little extra are removed.

If you have melanoma skin cancer, then you will likely get a surgery that excises the cells, raditation or chemotherapy, or sentinel lymph node mapping to ensure it has not spread into the lymph nodes.

Skin cancer is serious, do not put off treatment, and do everything you can to prevent it in yourself, and your children.