The Skin Cancer Causes and Protecting the Skin- Skin Cancer Causes and Protection

Skin cancer has slowly become among the most common diseases in many countries. As per rough statistics, nearly one out of every fifth individual develops this disease at some point in their age. However, the good thing is all types of skin cancers can be cured by early diagnosis and treatment. The skin cells started to grow abnormally in this type of cancer for many different reasons.

Do you want to know what skin cancer causes and how to protect your body from this disease? Let’s go through the entire post to get all the information our team has mentioned here!

Which Factors are Responsible for Skin Cancer?

There is a long list of factors that can increase the chance of skin cancer we have mentioned below with proper details:

• UV Light Exposure

A great reason for developing skin cancer is exposure to UV rays. Its primary sources are tanning beds, sunlight, and sun lamps. It can cause significant damage to the skin cells that should be avoided at any cost. There are tons of studies that prove it can cause a solid role in causing skin cancer.

Individuals living in areas with bright sunlight for all months of the year or those staying in high altitudes have even more chances of developing this disease. It is strongly suggested by doctors to avoid recreational sun tanning as much as possible.

If the UV rays continuously damage the skin cells, skin cancer begins to develop in the body. It means the skin should always get the much-needed protection from these harmful UV rays.

• Fair Skin

Most people might be surprised to read that individuals with fair complexion or blue eyes have a greater chance of this disease when compared with others. Studies have proved their skin got burn quickly instead of tanning when exposed to sunlight.

Individuals with this skin tone should stay extra cautious while getting outside. They should try to avoid harsh UV rays or suggested to use sunscreen.

If someone with this skin tone feels even a little bit of freckle in their skin, they should connect with a specialist as soon as possible.

• Precancerous Skin Conditions

Actinic keratoses are skin condition that causes brown and rough scalpy patches. It is widespread in locations that are exposed mainly to UV rays. The body areas where such patches develop can become squamous cell cancers among a few people.

The thing we want to say here is more actinic keratoses developed by the skin, the greater chances of developing skin cancer. It is suggested to perform the preventive measures to avoid this condition.

Anyone with precancerous skin conditions is strongly suggested to use broad-spectrum sunscreen throughout the year to keep themselves protective.

• Weakened Immune System

There is a certain set of people whose immune systems get weakened due to many different conditions. It includes HIV/AIDS, stem cell transplants, leukemia, organ transplant, and many more.

It must be understood that their immune system gets weakened once someone’s body is exposed to certain diseases. It causes the skin’s exposure to cancers quite easily.

Besides that, the individuals who take immunosuppressive drugs also need to be cautious as they also have higher risks of skin cancer.

• Family History

Another thing that contributes to individuals' skin cancer is their family history. If someone’s parents or siblings get diagnosed with this disease, they are at high risk.

The reason behind that is most of them share skin tone, genes, and lifestyle. People with near ones having skin cancer should go bi-monthly for self-skin checks.

They can also consider visiting a dermatologist regularly after a certain amount of time. These individuals should make sunscreen an important part of their life to stay protected against the sun.

What are the major types of skin cancers?

Although there are plenty of different skin cancer versions, we will mention the most common ones in detail below:

• Melanoma

We will start with the most deadly skin cancer that is popular with the name Melanoma in the medical world. It is usually developed in an already present mole of the patient.

However, the patient can get rid of this cancer by early diagnosis and treatment. A mole looks like a dark spot is an alarming sign.

• Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Also known as SCC, Squamous Cell Carcinoma is a pretty normal type of skin cancer that is commonly found in individuals with lighter skin. It usually appears as a scaly patch or a red firm bump that heals and reopens after a certain period.

It forms on the part of the skin that is frequently exposed to the sun. As per experts, it grows deeply on the skin and causes disfigurement. This condition can also develop due to precancerous skin growth in certain individuals.

• Basal Cell Carcinoma

The next cancer type we want to mention is Basal Cell Carcinoma that is common among people with fair skin. It usually appears like a flesh-colored round growth or a patch of skin in pink color.

This version of skin cancer usually appears on the neck, arms, and head. However, there are few rare cases where they appear on other parts of the body.

What are the Tips to Avoid Skin Cancer?

The majority of skin cancers are preventable by performing certain precautions that we have mentioned below:

• Avoiding Indoor Tanning

Many people try indoor tanning to darken their skin by exposing themselves to harmful UV rays. However, this exposure can result in eye & skin cancer over a certain amount of time.

It is important to understand that tanning doesn’t mean quality health. Indoor tanning can cause skin cancer or serious injury that needs to be avoided at any cost.

• Using Sunscreen

The next thing most people can do is use sunscreen with a factor of at least SPF 30 in all seasons. It will provide much-needed protection from harmful UV rays.

If you swim or sweat regularly, it is suggested to reapply sunscreen once in two hours while roaming outside.

• Wearing Sun Protective Clothes

We believe very few know that the clothes also come with the ultraviolet protection factor. If you want to stay protected from skin cancer, wear sun-protective clothes with a UPF factor of at least 50.

The hats having wide brims are very useful for protecting the body. Also, you can wear clothes that properly cover your arms and legs.

• Limiting Time During Peak Heat Hours

The sun reaches its peak level between 10 AM and 4 PM, and it is time you should try not to step outside. The sunrays become very stronger during these peak hours.

You can think about using the shadow rule where the power of sun rays can be calculated. The shorter the shadow is, the stronger the sunrays are.

Conclusion

Skin cancers are one of the easiest cancers that can be cured if diagnosed early and getting treated properly. There is a need to perform proper safety checks regularly to protect the body. We have tried to give all the important information that is very useful for everyone.

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