Skin Cancer Warning Signs

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Do you know the skin cancer warning signs? Apparently, many people don’t. Recent skin cancer statistics issued from the Skin Cancer Foundation stated that in 2005 over 50,000 people in the US had skin cancer melanoma and about 1,000,000 people world-wide will develop some type of skin cancer in 2009 alone. But what are skin cancer warning signs? That depends. There are different Types of Skin Cancer and different Symptoms of Skin Cancer .

Some skin cancer begins in pigment cells. Other skin cancers start in round cells in the outer layer of skin. A third type is squamous cell skin cancer (these are flat surface cells in the skin). Finally skin cancer may form in cells that produce hormones).

What causes skin cancer? Skin cancer is directly tied to sun exposure and/or a weak immune system. Most of the time when caught early skin cancer is very curable, which means recognizing skin cancer warning signs is very important. Of the types, skin cancer melanoma is the most dangerous and nearly universally caused by over-exposure to UV light. That means that the earlier in life people begin skin cancer prevention techniques, the better.

Skin Cancer Warning Signs - Are you at Risk?

Anyone can get skin cancer but there are certain situations that increase the risks, and may act as skin cancer warning signs. These situations include having fair hair or skin, a family with a history of skin cancer, long-term exposure to sunlight over many years, skin that burns easily, and a prevalence of certain types of moles (like red ones).

Signs of Skin Cancer:

There are a variety of Signs of Skin Cancer for which you should watch, especially if you have one or more risk factors. However, there are about five signs of skin cancer that are very common, they include:

Freckle that alters in color, size or shape
Mole that alters in color, size or shape
New skin spots that seem different than anything else in that area of the body
Red scaling skin that stings when scratched
A small dome-like bump that appears pearly (this may be a plain mole but that cannot be determined without tests)
Sore red bumps on the face, ears, scalp or back of the hand (this may be the beginnings of squamous skin cancer)

See Pictures of Skin Cancer for more information.

Skin Cancer and The Sun - Protecting Yourself:

The best prevention against skin cancer is being mindful of how much UV light your body receives and use the best sun screen on the market.

Sunscreen is one of the best prevention against skin cancer. However, make sure you use a chemical free one. Studies show that there are 5 common chemicals that can cause cell damage, DNA damage, and even skin cancer by not protecting against basal cell carcinoma or melanoma......Click here Sun Safety to read about the 5 dangerous chemicals found in most common sunscreens.

My favorite sun screen is Ultimate UV Defense SPF 30 because it's chemical free, not greasy, shiny, or sticky. It's great for all types of skin and ages - even for those with mature or oily skin. I really can't tell I even have it on! Click on the link above to read all the rave reviews of other satisfied users. This is truly the best sunscreen I've ever used. I can't rave enough about it!

Additional Reading

Actinic Keratosis - Read about this possibly precancerous skin growth and learn about the symptoms and treatments.

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