Melanoma, the most common kind of skin cancer, has seen a global increase. It is more important than ever for people to understand this risk, and to take appropriate, preventative care. Perhaps most important element of such care is dependent on an understanding of what the process of tanning actually means- the brown color of your tan is your body's natural response to the threat of ultraviolet radiation, a sign of excessive exposure to risk.
A tan is not healthy- is a sign that your body is in distress. A tan is your body making great physical effort in battle against cancer. Many foolish people think a 'base tan' is a form of protection against sun damage. There are dangers that can be produced from such a belief. There is no correlation between tan and good health whatsoever.
Savvy consumers might have noticed- the days when sunscreen can be advertised as water proof are over. Health conscious persons beware, there is no such thing as water proof sunscreen. As a result of this discovery, manufacturers now promote their sunscreen products as water resistant, and the time for which they can be expected to remain so must be printed on the bottle. Awareness of this time and the corresponding requirements for sunscreen reapplication is highly important.
For skin conscious individuals, another recent discovery may help with the identification of skin cancer. While this is not a means of treatment, the early discovery of skin cancer has a substantial influence on corresponding survival rates, and is worth mentioning. Simple as it may seem, a recent report published that almost 40% of skin cancers itch, and approximately 30% involve pain. While this is of value to doctors attempting to perform diagnoses, such knowledge is also significant for people concerned about their health. All people should attempt to maintain awareness of the health of their skin, and knowing of these additional signs could help doctors and patients locate the presence of skin cancer as early as possible.
