Exactly What Are The Correct Facts Regarding Skin Cancer?

One of the most common types of cancer in the world today is skin cancer, or more to be more precise, the three cancers of the skin as there are 3 main types of skin cancer.

The commonest and least serious is what is referred to as a rodent ulcer ( or basal cell carcinoma). Then we see a skin cancer referred to as Squamous cell carcinoma. Last but not least we have what I would consider to be the most well known type of skin cancer referred to as malignant melanoma. This is the most lethal but happily also the rarest type of skin cancer.

Whilst malignant melanoma is the rarest, considering that it is the most hazardous, it is worthwhile taking a quick look at exactly what it is. This particular kind of cancer is responsible for in the region of one per cent of cancers and is a tumor in the melancyte cells which produce melanin. Melanin is the pigment which creates your sun tan and that gives your skin the color it has normally. Also, it is responsible for the color of your eyes and your hair which is the reason why malignant melanoma can also affect the eyes as well as the skin.

It is reassuring to discover that presently skin melanomas are very rare in children but, since 50 % of all the sun exposure which the skin gets happens before the age of 18 and, because of the time it takes to grow, it is vital to prevent your children from getting too much exposure to the sun.

Because of rising pollution, the diminishing ozone layer and better knowledge of what Uv rays can really do, there is a growing recognition that exposure to the sun can be extremely bad for us and that we must protect ourselves from these ultra violet rays. It is very clear that it is the sun which is triggering these problems as the number of people suffering from skin cancer varies subject to country. For instance, the tropical countries that have large Caucasian populations show the highest occurence of skin cancer. Countries such as South Africa and Australia, together with the lower American states, which have a lot of sunshine and Caucasian populations demonstrate levels of skin cancer that are directly proportional to the amount of sunlight and the size of their Caucasian population.

Deeper skin types such as those seen in individuals with an Asian or African American background get greater protection from the sunlight as a result of their darker skin coloring.

Ultra violet light is part of the sunshine and it is that element which causes the problem. UV light comes in different forms although they are all essentially damaging for pale skin and even more so for babies and children who are very much at risk since they have thinner skin than adults.

During the course of the last 40 years cases of skin cancer have roughly doubled every 10 years. This correlates with the introduction of low priced vacations to sunnier climates and now that such vacations are so widely available and sunbathing is such a popular past time, skin cancer instances are going to continue to increase unless individuals begin to take the needed steps to stop themselves from getting burnt by UV rays from the sun.

SkinCancerFacts.org supplies answers to a variety of questions about skin cancer and is an amazing skin cancer resource center for people suffering from or anxious about this disease.