5 Risk Factors for Skin Cancer People Must Consider

Nearly everyone knows that skin cancer is a very real possibility, but few are aware of exactly how little it takes to prevent this potentially deadly illness. More than one million people are diagnosed each year with various forms of skin cancer. Colorado Springs residents aren't an exception to this statistic. Here are a few risk factors you may not have previously considered.

· Ongoing exposure to UV radiation, particularly if you're unprotected at the time, puts you at much higher risk for this condition. There are many potential sources of UV radiation that you may not be aware of, too. Sunlight is perhaps the largest source of this type of radiation, but UV lamps, some welding equipment, and even phototherapy lamps can also place you in areas where the UV radiation occurs at a much higher concentration.

· If you have a fair complexion, you're at a much higher risk of skin cancer. Colorado Springs residents who don't have naturally darker skin may find themselves coming down with this condition at much higher rates than those with other pigmentations. While this isn't a primary risk factor, it's certainly something to be aware of every time you go out in the sun.

· Some jobs may put you at greater risk of this condition. If your job involves coal tar or pitch as well as arsenic compounds, radium, or even creosote, skin cancer is a very real possibility, and your employer should provide you ongoing screenings to ensure you're exposure rates haven't been too high.

· Childhood may also play a role in skin cancer. Colorado Springs adults who experienced sunburns as a child are far more likely to be diagnosed with one of the many forms of skin cancer than others are. Because the UV radiation can take some time to build up in your system, by the time you reach adulthood, you could be looking at some very real consequences for serious burns as a child.

· Individuals with multiple moles are also considered to be in a high risk category. Keeping an eye on every mole you have for changes is essential, as it can help you notify health professionals in plenty of time.

Whether you're at greater risk than others or you've just noticed a change in your skin that you're suddenly concerned about, contacting the right professional help is an absolute must to diagnose and treat this condition early.

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Stages of Skin Cancer

It seems to me that most people don't really know very much about skin cancer. There are those who definitely fear it and may even overreact in protecting themselves.

But there are a large number of people who see some changes in their skin and just figure it will go away, in time. So they ignore it and in time it may just go away.

But the next time a change occurs on their skin, it may not go away. Still yet they may just live with it until it starts to become a matter of big concern.

And even then they may need some pushing from their spouse or a true friend to go have it checked out by a dermatologist and/or a qualified doctor of alternative medicine. You may even want to work with both.

Some skin cancers are slow growing and some can start to grow and spread quickly, even internally without you ever noticing a thing. All you ever notice is that small bump, crusty or discolored spot or lesions on the surface of your skin, not knowing what skin cancer stage it could be.

So in an effort to make you react right away when you see ANY little changes occur on your skin, I want to make it clear what the stages of skin cancer are.

Non-Melanoma Stages

• Stage 0: This is when cells are starting to form abnormally. They are precancerous, but have the potential to become cancerous. This is the very best time to react, when you see something Abnormal.
• Stage I: The abnormal cells have now become cancerous and the diameter of the lesion is less than 2 cm. (about the diameter of a pencil eraser). At this point it has not spread beyond the surface of the skin.
• Stage II: Now the cancerous area is greater than 2 cm. (about the size of a marble +). It still has not spread beyond the surface of the skin.
• Stage III: It has spread to other adjoining areas and you may not even be able to notice it. The regional lymph nodes now could be involved.
• Stage IV: The cancer has spread to other distant areas of the body and it could be involving internal organs.

Melanoma Stages

• Stage 0: Abnormal discolored cell will start to show up. It could be as simple as a dark colored mole.
• Stage I: Cancerous cells are now present. At this point they are less than 2 mm. thick. This is about the thickness of a quarter.
• Stage II: The cancerous spot is now between 2 and 4 millimeters in thickness (between 1 and 2 quarters placed together). They are still only confined to the skin.
• Stage III: The melanoma skin cancer has spread beyond the skin and now involves the lymph nodes.
• Stage IV: It has now gone even beyond the lymph nodes and reached such vital organs as the liver, lungs and brain.

So as you can see skin cancer is something everyone needs to be aware of and it's something you should take seriously. The skin cancer warning signs are there to tell you something.

Don't be afraid!...Just be aware!...and then react!

This may be copied in it's entirety, however you must include my website information.

I am a 20 year survivor of stage III squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. So, much of what I say comes from my own experiences. If you want to learn more about skin cancer visit

http://www.skin-cancer-experiences.com/skin-cancer-warning-signs.html

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Skin Self-Examination - What Does Skin Cancer Look Like?

Skin cancer is a common form of cancer which can usually be successfully treated if caught in an early stage of development. It's important to detect skin cancer early, because even melanoma, the most difficult form of skin cancer to treat, has a high recovery rate if treated before metastasis. What does skin cancer look like? Only a doctor can tell you if you have skin cancer, but there are some warning signs you can look for to let you know when you need to ask for a doctor's opinion.

The first symptom of skin cancer is a tumor on the skin. Since these tumors appear on the skin, they are easily detected at an early stage, making rapid treatment a possibility. While it is less known than a breast exam, people can do their part to detect skin cancer early by doing a skin self-examination. Instructions are available on how to do a thorough examination, but the basic idea is that you check your entire skin area for anything unusual. This includes your scalp, between your toes, and every part of your skin.

It is important to be familiar with your body so that you notice any differences. Nevi or moles are extremely common, and the average person has 10 to 40 of them. Even having some dysplastic nevi, irregularly-shaped moles, is common. These are benign growths and they are nothing to worry about. However, you should be familiar with your moles and their appearance. New moles and changes in the appearance, texture, or color of old moles could be a sign of a cancerous tumor developing, and you should consult your doctor if something like this occurs.

Basal cell and squamous skin cancer can appear as a new, strange-looking mole, or as an area resembling a rash or a sore which does not heal normally. The key to detecting these cancers early is to do skin self-examinations, and consult a doctor if there are any such irregularities.

Melanoma has an appearance which may be more striking and obvious. This is a deadlier form of skin cancer, affecting the melanocytes which lay beneath the epidermis. These cells give pigment to your skin, and these are the types of cells which form nevi. If you discover a new dysplastic nevus that was not previously on your body, you should see a doctor. Early detection and early treatment are necessary to prevent the cancer from spreading. A discolored mole, a mole which has increased in size or is surrounded by discolored or broken skin, or an asymmetrical mole may be a cancerous tumor and should be examined by a doctor.

Regular skin self-examinations can help you detect irregularities which should be evaluated by a medical professional. What does skin cancer look like? Looks can be deceiving, and only your doctor can tell you for sure, but there are some warning signs which can help you detect and eliminate skin cancer in its early stages.

To learn much more about the different types skin cancer, visit http://www.SkinCancer-101.com where you'll find this and much more, including skin cancer signs.

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First Signs of Skin Cancer - Early Warnings

Skin cancer, a disease in which cells lose the ability to grow in normal healthy ways, is a rising concern for many people. Every year, 1.3 million American people are diagnosed with some kind of skin cancer, and almost half of everyone in the country will have had some form of skin cancer by the time they are 65. It seems like a bleak picture, but the good news is that modern medical technology can cure almost every known form of skin cancer as long as it is detected early and given the proper treatment, which means that knowing the first signs of skin cancer and being aware of the symptoms can save millions from this disease.

Skin cancer often takes the form of a sore or a pimple that won't heal, typically appearing as an abnormal growth on the skin. The first sign of skin cancer is if these sores or growths either appear out of nowhere, or significantly alter their shape. They might also ooze fluid or crust and scab over, and will simply not heal over or reduce in size, regardless of over-the-counter treatment. The growths might change in size or color, marking them as an area for concern, you should tell your doctor anytime that you develop a new growth on the skin, or a mole, sore, or other spot on the skin significantly changes in size or shape. The outward signs of skin cancer usually appear on parts of the body that are most often exposed to the sun, such as the v-shaped area of the chest, the face, the neck, and the upper back. Remember that only a doctor can tell if a skin growth is benign or cancerous.

Something that's important to know while you're looking for the first signs of skin cancer is how to do a self-examination and see if there is anything that you need to ask your doctor about. You can give yourself a regular check-over for any new growths or to monitor if one might be changing, to look for sores or moles. In particular, you want to look for signs of melanoma, the most malignant and dangerous forms of cancer. To look for melanoma, you want to look for things like the growth being asymmetrical, where one side has a different shape than the other. When the growth has scalloped or uneven edges or has more than one color is another sign of a possible melanoma, they may be black, have colored specks in them, or be shades of brown. Also, if the size measured edge to edge is bigger than a pencil eraser on a new growth, it could be a melanoma.

Skin cancer can be a frightening thing, however it is almost always extremely treatable and can be cured with a minimum of damage to the body if it is discovered early enough. Doctors and medical associations constantly stress the importance of knowing the first signs of skin cancer and being able to check yourself for melanomas, and now, you can.

Katie Appleby is an accomplished niche website developer and author. To learn more about first signs of skin cancer: early warnings [http://healthtopicssite.info/first-signs-of-skin-cancer-early-warnings], please visit Health Topics Site [http://healthtopicssite.info] for current articles and discussions.

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