Prevention from Skin Cancers

There are different types of skin cancers. Most of them are life-threatening destructive cancerous cells. The melanoma type of skin cancers is the most dangerous type of skin cancer than non-melanoma skin cancers. As the skin cancers are life-threatening, the prevention steps should be taken by each and every people.  In the US, the chronic change of weather affects the skin of the people in different ways. Skin cancers become a common disease for them. In the US, around 3.5 million types of skin cancers are analyzed over only 2 million people per year. Though the treatment is quite easy and possible if found early, people should be aware of the consequences of skin cancer and should take proper preventive measures to protect their skin.

Causes of skin cancers

The prevention of skin cancers depends on the reasons that create cancerous effects on the skin. The most common cancerous reasons for the skin cancers are-

• The UV light exposure on the skin is the main cause of skin cancer, especially in the US. The exposure of ultraviolet rays can be caught from the sunlight or the tanning beds. The fair complexioned people are prone to be the victim of this.
• The immunosuppression of the body caused by some diseases like infections from AIDS and other cancers, or by the effect of medicines like prednisone, or by the chemotherapy, can create cancerous tissues. The radiation or chemical exposure like X-rays or arsenic exposure can cause skin cancer. Particular viral infections acquired from sexual activity can also cause skin cancers.
• Cancer patients can catch another skin cancerous infections within 2 years of treatment. Older people are more vulnerable to catch skin cancer.

Protection from skin cancers

Based on the causes of the skin cancers, people who have the probability to get cancerous tissue formation, like older people, HIV patients, patients of other cancers, patients taking certain medicines or, radiation or, chemicals, should be careful about their skin. Besides, every people should take preventive steps especially prevention from sunlight exposure. This can protect both types of people who are more vulnerable or less vulnerable to skin cancer. The skin cancer foundation of the US has been recommending for complete sun protection as the preventive action of skin cancer since 1979.

Prevention from the sun for preventing skin cancer:

Avoiding sunburn or suntan

People must avoid intentional sunburn and suntan or tanning beds. Babies should be kept protected from the sun too. Many people catch the cancerous tissue development at their younger age and then it appears at the older age. The skin of the babies burns easily. If it cannot be possible to keep children away from the sun or, babies are needed to go out for any purpose, protective measures should be taken. Protective cloth, the hat should be used. There is sunscreen cream for children too. But no sunscreen cream is approved for the babies below the age of 6 months.

Shading

People can maintain the time range of sun exposure or UV light exposure. The rays of the sun are strong from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. if it is possible, people can stay under shade in this time. Parents of the babies should not take them out at this time too.

Protective clothing

Those who are bound to stay under the sun at daytime, they must use protective clothing. They can use a long-sleeve shirt and pants. Black colored clothes are more preferred in this case as black clothes can absorb more UV lights than white or any other colors. A wide-brimmed hat can protect both the face and the neck. People should use high-quality sunglasses especially, for those who have sensitivity in the eyes and skin.

Sunscreen cream or lotion

A broad spectrum sunscreen can protect skin from the sun. The sun protection factor of the sunscreen should be at least 30. Above 30 SPF, sunscreen can protect skin from UV-A and UV-B lights.

Sunscreen must be applied 15 to 20 minutes before going out. The recommended application of the sunscreen should 5 ml for each part of the body. Every part of the body- face, arm, leg, the front of the body, and the back of the body.

Sunscreen should be reapplied after every 2 hours. Sunscreen should also be applied after every water use like swimming, and after sports, sweating and towel drying because these activities clean the cream. Water resistant sunscreen can work for a little longer time than others.

Sunscreen cannot protect the skin totally. So, people should use protective clothes too as much as they can within the sunscreen cream.

Additional caution

People should take additional protection in the case of near water, snow, sand, tanning beds, because these places make more light exposure from the reflection at the surfaces of these places.

Diet maintenance

People should take healthy diet containing vitamin D. Vitamin D reduce the possibility of skin disease turning to cancer. Vitamin D supplement can also work for providing required vitamin.

Maintaining UV index

The UV index is shown regularly on the weather news or in the meteorology sites. People can easily check this regularly and follow preventive measures when the UV index is equal to 3 or above 3.

People should check their skin in a regular manner because early detection of the melanoma or other skin cancers can be treated. It will be best if every people can examine their skin once a month. At least one professional skin exam should be done in a year.