Skin cancer is a potentially serious condition. According to the type, if neglected, cancer can grow and damage healthy tissues and organs. People who are known to have skin cancer realize that the sun’s UV rays are often the cause. Much has been known about skin cancer, but what about the not so well known causes of skin cancer? There are some things that people may not know about this condition but they need to know, and these are highlighted below.
Fact #1 – Skin cancer is 50 percent more commonly diagnosed than all other types of cancer combined. Men and women develop skin cancer more often than other types of cancer.
Fact # 2 – African Americans, Latinos, and Asians have a lower risk of developing skin cancer. in general, but when they develop it, it is often more destructive and aggressive.
Fact #3 – Sustaining one major sun exposure as a child increases a person’s risk of developing adult melanoma Melanoma is the largest form of cancer. For this reason, the use of a GENERAL sunscreen is important, even in infancy (six months of age and older).
Fact # 4 – Babies younger than six months of age are much more likely to suffer from the effects sitting of chemicals that make up sunscreen, which is why they only recommend sunscreen for babies six months of age and older. Young babies have more skin for their body size than older children and adults, making absorption of chemicals much more likely. Babies also can’t cool themselves as efficiently as adults, and sunscreen blocks their ability to sweat to cool themselves even further.
Fact #5 – Men over the age of 50 are twice as likely to develop skin cancer as women, making it more common than other types of cancer in people of this age.
Fact #6 – The most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma, accounts for over 8,600 skin cancer deaths per year.
FACT #7 – UVA rays from the sun contribute more to skin cancer than UVB rays. Scientists once believed that UVB rays were the only source of skin cancer when exposed to the sun, but now it is known that UVA is. rays penetrate even deeper than UVB.
Fact #8 – One in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer in their lifetime.
Fact #9 – Melanoma cases are increasing rapidly, while the two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are decreasing .
Fact # 10 – A person suffering from melanoma dies every hour in the United States.
References
American Cancer Society Skin Cancer Info Page – www.cancer.org/docroot/PED/content/ped_7_1_What_You_Need_To_Know_Abo
Skin Cancer Foundation Information –
www.skincancer.org/Skin-Cancer-Facts/
Mayo Clinic Skin Cancer Page – www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-cancer/DS00190/DSETION=risk-factors
