Are Men at Higher Risk for Skin Cancer? is a post from: Skin Cancer Information

At one time skin cancer was more likely to be a woman’s disease. After all, many more women sunbath then men. Women worry more about how they look and trying to be attractive they will spend more time sunbathing and tanning. A least that’s what everyone thought. Recent studies are showing some surprising results when it comes to skin cancer rates and who’s affected.

The rates of men developing skin cancer are rising steadily. They have increased by twelve percent in the last six years. The rise for women has only been two percent over the same period of time. With men the skin cancer is often found on their backs, a difficult place to see changes if you’re not looking for them. Men are less likely to do a self-examination and so less likely to find these abnormal moles. Another reason for them developing on the back is that when men work outside without tops on they are often working with their backs to the sun. Based on the obvious physical differences between men and women you will very often see a man working outside topless while woman do not. Consider summer jobs like lawn mowing, exterior house painting or making their own car repairs. Studies also report that, surprisingly, men over forty are outside more than their younger counterparts.

Recent studies have reported that forty four percent of men over fifty are developing skin cancer. Of this group, ninety seven percent are Caucasian. Of that group thirty seven percent were fair skinned. Twenty eight percent of them had a family history of skin cancer. While thirty three percent had a history of having moles that had changed in appearance before. Some of the reasons blamed for these dramatic increases in skin cancer in men include travel, an increase in summer sports including water sports, soccer and basketball, and a reflection of more convertibles on the street. Another reason is that although they will often wear hats in the sun, mainly for appearance, they are less likely to use sunscreens.

African Americans are far less likely to develop skin cancer and when they do its usually on the soles of the feet or palms of their hands. This shows that the sun’s rays are unlikely to be the cause of these cancers. So far they do not seem to have the answers to what does. Oddly, African Americans have a higher mortality rate despite the lower risk.

Men have a poorer prospect for recovery than women. Survival rates are not great unless the cancer is discovered early. On the other hand if it is discovered early the recovery rate is quite good. Doctors feel that one of the biggest problems with men and skin cancer, though studies show its men and any health problem, is the male reluctance to go to their health care provider when a problem is found. Delays in seeing the doctor when you have a suspicious mole can make the difference between a cure and death.

Skin cancer is a disease that affects a vast cross-section of the population. An approximated one in five Americans will be diagnosed with a case of skin cancer in their lifetime. Many people believe that simply applying a high-SPF sunscreen will be sufficient protection when it comes to avoiding the risk of skin cancer. However, new studies show that the sunscreens that we trust to protect us against the sun’s harmful rays may not be as effective as we once thought they were.

Sunscreen provides the body with a good layer of protection from UV-B rays. UV-B rays are emitted by the sun, and they are the main entity responsible for people getting sunburns. By wearing a high SPF value sunscreen, you block many of the effects caused by the UV-B rays, and you probably won’t get a burned by the sun. However, most sunscreens do not provide sufficient protection from UV-A rays. Also, people that expose themselves to the sun while wearing sunscreen tend to stay out longer, allowing more and more UV-A rays to penetrate their skin. The increased exposure to the sun’s rays can add up; the risks of skin cancer increase regardless of how many UV-B rays that your sunscreen filters out. The UV-A rays tend to penetrate to the deeper layers of the skin, and they are also known to have a greater potential when it comes to giving you wrinkles or even skin cancer.

To that end, it is important to choose your sunscreen products wisely. If you wish to protect your body against all the rays of the sun, it’s important to choose a sunscreen that features broad-spectrum protection. “Broad-spectrum” refers to the different types of rays that the sunscreen protects against, both UV-A and UV-B. These products are known to help ward off the effects of the harmful UV-A rays better than their common sunscreen counterparts. For the best protection against UV-A rays, you should look for a sunscreen that contains the following ingredients: zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and/or avobenzone.

It is also important to ensure that the sunscreen that you select has a high SPF value to keep the UV-B rays at bay. As a matter of fact, the SPF value advertised for sunscreens refers only to their ability to block the effects of UV-B rays. When going to the beach, be sure to pick up a sunscreen that is water-resistant. Also, it’s important to reapply the sunscreen regularly to ensure that you are getting a full protection. Another factor to note is how thinly you are spreading the sunscreen. Many people who use sunscreen apply too thin of a layer, limiting the effectiveness of the compound.

While sunscreen may not be as efficient as we once thought, it is still important to wear. They do protect the body against skin cancer, albeit in a limited way. The number of skin cancer diagnoses increase by the year, so it’s important to do all that you can do to protect your body.

Preventing skin cancer

Although skin cancer typically happens to Caucasians, those that work outside, smokers and people with a family history of skin cancer, everybody is at risk these days as the statistics show. Skin cancer instances have doubled every 10 years over the last 40 years and we need to take action to prevent it from happening to us.

2 of the types of skin cancers are very lethal if left too late and it is therefore essential to follow the tips that I am about to provide you with, that I have in part sourced from the worlds largest healthcare organization. (NHS Direct Online)

Essentially, the best way to protect your self from skin cancer is to take care in the sun is to take preventative action and make sure you don’t burn your skin. Once you have been burnt the damage has already been done so make sure to cover up with loose fitting clothes.

Also, make sure to cover your legs and arms if it is at all possible. Heat stroke can be avoided if you again use loose fitting clothes and drink lots and lots of water to replace what you lose.

Remember that tightly woven fabrics will provide the best protection from the sun. you should also avoid direct sunlight during the mid day sun from 11am to 3pm as this is when the sun is at it’s strongest. If you must go outside between these times then make sure to cover-up with clothes, hat and sunglasses and apply plenty of sunscreen.

Always use a sun protection lotion with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15, although very fair-skinned people, children and people living in exposed areas of the world need to use lotions with an SPF of up to 40.

Make sure that your entire body is covered by sun protection lotion with sun protection factor above 15. An absolute minimum to cover up is your face, hands, feet and neck but you should also consider using it all over as the most vulnerable parts of your body are the places that are not usually exposed to sunlight.

You also need to apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going out in the sun and then apply it every couple of hours, as sweat and friction against towels for example will cause it to wear off. Also reapply immediately after swimming, even if your lotion says it is of a waterproof variety.

I would suggest that you also consider wearing waterproof sun protection when you are out swimming. UVA and UVB rays can penetrate through 2 feet of water. You should also remember that clouds and fog do not stop the ultraviolet rays from penetrating and getting to your skin – that’s the job of the ozone layer (which we incidentally are killing off).

Finally, I would suggest that you cover up with clothing and use SPF 15 sun lotion even on cloudy days and always wear a hat and sunglasses that have UVA and UVB filters when in the sun. And if you want a final reminder about the dangers of sunlight, remember that ultraviolet rays can damage the retinas in your eyes causing cataracts.

How to recognize the skin cancer basal cell carcinoma

When we think of skin cancer we may not always realize that there are 3 different types of skin cancer. What most people think of as skin cancer is in fact malignant melanoma where the moles on your skin changes.

Basal cell carcinoma or also called a rodent ulcer, is probably one of the most common types of all types of skin cancer. It appears in the basal cell layer strangely enough and it is the inner most layer of the outer skin (the epidermis if you care to know). Basal cell carcinoma skin cancer is a slow growing form of cancer and it looks like a raised edged swelling with a dimple in the center and you can often see small blood vessels under the skin.

This type of skin cancer appears mainly in the areas most exposed to sun light, like the nose and around the eyes. It hardly ever spreads around the body although if it is ignored it is possible. The main consequence of a neglected “bcc” or rodent ulcer is that it can cause a lot of tissue damage as it burrows deep into the tissues, hence why it has been called rodent ulcer.

As stated, Basal cell cancer is the most common type of skin cancer to affect people. Like all skin cancers it mainly affects people with pale or fair Caucasian skin. It is also likely or probable that new patients who develop this form of skin cancer have a family history of rodent ulcer or BCC. It has been found that sunlight is a huge factor in about two thirds of these types of cancer; however the remaining third usually occurs in non sun-exposed areas. This is why dermatologists are so insistent about people wearing sun screens and getting annual skin cancer exams to prevent or provide early detection of this common tumor. (Especially in those countries which are very hot).

If you have been diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma then it is most likely that it will be treated by a surgeon operating on you to remove the tumor. Usually they will perform a routine that effectively just scrapes out the tumor and then leave the wound to heal itself. This treatment of rodent ulcers as it is also known has an excellent cure rate and the cosmetic results are equally impressive with very little scarring, and made even more attractive as it is a very cost effective procedure, which is important to your health care provider no doubt.

If you get skin cancer then this type of skin cancer is by far the easiest one to cope with as it only really grows locally and with detection happening early enough the cosmetic consequences are minimal. The cancer never stops growing however until it is removed completely so if it is in a place where it can impinge on vital structures and cause them to stop working it is very rarely deadly.

Proper care and consideration for your skin is still essential in order to avoid the cancer in the first place so common anti skin cancer advice still applies like use sunscreen, cover up exposed ares during the mid day sun and stay out of the sun when ever possible. It is especially important for children and babies to stay out of direct sunlight as they have thinner skin.

Even during winter it is important if you live in a snowy area as snow doubles your exposure to UV rays.