Best Way To Prevent Skin Cancer

Finding The Best Sunscreen Products

Did you know that using good sunscreen products is the best way to prevent skin cancer?  So, you want to protect your skin?  Then, the best way to prevent skin cancer is with the use of top-rated sunscreen products whenever you are outside.  Quality sunscreens help shield you from the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet (UV) rays in two ways.  First, some work by scattering the sunlight, i.e., reflecting it away from your body.  Others absorb the UV rays before they reach your skin. You should use a good sunscreen product year-round for the best protection!

One of the best ways to prevent skin cancer is to wear clothing that blocks the sun’s rays from reaching your skin without being too hot.  Also, wearing a hat to protect your head will help as one of the best ways to prevent skin cancer.  More importantly, staying indoors during the hottest part of the day is one of the best ways to prevent skin cancer!

Best Way to Prevent Skin Cancer – Sunscreens

Ultraviolet Radiation

Ultraviolet radiation is invisible rays that are part of the energy that comes from the sun.  In addition, these rays can burn the skin and cause skin cancer.  Sun rays are made up of three types:  ultraviolet A, ultraviolet B, and ultraviolet C.  Although ultraviolet C is the most dangerous type of ultraviolet light in terms of its potential to harm life on earth, it cannot penetrate the earth’s protective ozone layer.  Therefore, it currently poses no threat to human, animal, or plant life on earth.

Ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays, on the other hand, do penetrate the ozone layer and reach the surface of the earth.  Because ultraviolet A is weaker than ultraviolet B, scientists long blamed ultraviolet B as the sole culprit in causing skin cancer.  This was due to people with sensitive skin with a history of sunburn and repeated overexposure to ultraviolet radiation.  Recent research, however, has also implicated ultraviolet A as a possible cause of skin cancer.

Ultraviolet B rays are more likely than ultraviolet A rays to cause sunburn. However, ultraviolet A passes further into the skin. Scientists have long thought that ultraviolet B can cause melanoma and other types of skin cancer.  They also now think that ultraviolet A may add to skin damage that can lead to cancer. Therefore, dermatologists recommend that people use sunscreens that block both kinds of radiation.

Choosing A Good Sunscreen

A few years ago, choosing a good sunscreen meant you just looked for a high sun protection factor (SPF).  In essence, the SPF factor only rates how well the sunscreen protects against one type of skin cancer-causing UV ray – ultraviolet B (UVB).  Research soon showed that ultraviolet A rays (UVA) also increase skin cancer risk. While UVA rays don’t cause sunburn, they penetrate deeply into the skin and can cause wrinkles.  Furthermore, the Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that up to 90% of skin changes associated with aging are really caused by one’s lifetime exposure to UVA rays.

Personal tip:  If you have hypersensitive skin, a rule of thumb for protecting it:  the fewer chemicals, the better. Finding SPF options without skin irritants like parabens, fragrances, and dyes helps prevent painful flare-ups and poison ivy-level itching. Natural sunblocks are your best bet.

To Buy Your Skincare Products Today, Click on Allies of Skin Below ⇓ And Go to Their Advanced Skincare Center! 

Best Way to Prevent Skin Cancer – The Different Types

Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells. It most often develops on areas of the skin exposed to the sun’s rays.  More importantly, skin cancer affects people of all colors and races.  However, those with light skin, who sunburn easily, have a higher risk.

Types Of Skin Cancer

Actinic Keratoses (AK)

These dry, scaly patches or spots are pre-cancerous growths.

1. People who get AKs usually have fair skin.
2. Most people see their first AKs after 40 years of age because AKs tend to develop after years of sun exposure.
3. AKs usually form on the skin that gets lots of sun exposure, such as the head, neck, hands, and forearms.
4. Because an AK can progress to a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), treatment is important.

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
This Is the Most Common Type of Skin Cancer.

• Frequently develops in people who have fair skin, yet it can occur in people with darker skin.
• BCCs look like a flesh-colored, pearl-like bump or a pinkish patch of skin.
• Develops after years of frequent sun exposure or indoor tanning.
• They are common on the head, neck, and arms, yet can form anywhere on the body, including the chest, abdomen, and legs.
• Early diagnosis and treatment of BCC are important. It can invade the surrounding tissue and grow into the nerves and bones, causing damage and disfigurement.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
SCC Is the Second Most Common Type of Skin Cancer.

1. People who have light skin are most likely to develop SCC, yet it can develop in darker-skinned people.
2. It often looks like a red firm bump, a scaly patch, or a sore that heals and then re-opens.
3. SCC tends to form on skin that gets frequent sun exposure, such as the rim of the ear, face, lips, neck, arms, chest, and back.  It can grow deep in the skin and cause damage and disfigurement. Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent this and stop SCC from spreading to other areas of the body.

Melanoma
Melanoma Is the Deadliest Form of Skin Cancer.

• It frequently develops in a mole or suddenly appears as a new dark spot on the skin.
• Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial.
• Knowing the ABCDE warning signs of melanoma can help you find an early melanoma.  See the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD’s) body mole map shown below to note the results of your self-examination. Consult your dermatologist immediately if any of your moles or pigmented spots appear on the illustration.

Best Way to Prevent Skin Cancer – What to Look For

The ABCDE Warning Signs of Melanoma
Signs To Look For:

A = Asymmetry
One half is unlike the other half.

B = Border
An irregular scalloped or poorly defined border.

C = Color
It varies from one area to another; it has shades of tan, brown, or black, or is sometimes white, red, or blue.

D = Diameter

Melanomas are usually greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.

E = Evolving

A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.