| Skin cancer has three major forms. All of these | | | | skin cancer. |
| are known, at least in part, to be caused by | | | | Some people even sunbathe on a beach to the |
| exposure to sunlight. The skin cells' genetic | | | | point of blistering - an almost certain way that |
| operations can be disrupted by the ultraviolet | | | | one will develop skin cancer. But even moderate |
| radiation from sunlight, the possible consequence | | | | sunbathing summer after summer can increase |
| of which is the development of precancerous and | | | | one's risk of getting the disease. Over time, the |
| cancerous cells. Basal cell carcinoma (also known | | | | damage to skin cells piles up little by little; this |
| as rodent ulcer), squamous cell carcinoma, and | | | | makes people in their middle or later years as |
| melanoma are the three major forms of skin | | | | those most likely to develop skin cancer. How can |
| cancer, the latter being the most dangerous of | | | | the risk be reduced then? |
| the three. | | | | Obviously, the simplest way to avoid developing |
| Since the skin's topmost layers are the first to be | | | | skin cancer is to reduce the skin's exposure to |
| affected by the ultraviolet rays from sunlight, all | | | | the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Any one of these |
| three forms of skin cancer develop in the skin's | | | | three basic ways, or a combination of them, can |
| upper layer, or epidermis. Likewise, all three forms | | | | do the trick: limit your time in the sun, protect |
| have one common symptom which you have to | | | | your skin with clothing (when you're out in the |
| keep watch of - "change." Melanoma, however, | | | | sun), and use a suntan lotion (if you must stay |
| has its own special set of symptoms. | | | | out in the sun and can't protect your skin from |
| The presence of melanoma is usually indicated by | | | | sunlight) - really very simple ways. |
| the alteration of the color of either a patch of | | | | What makes melanoma the most serious of the |
| skin or a mole. Because this form of skin cancer | | | | skin cancers is that the moment it begins to |
| involves cells that produce black and brown | | | | develop, it can spread quickly. The condition, |
| pigments, you have to be particularly aware of | | | | however, doesn't have to be a death sentence. If |
| changes in dark spots, patches, or moles. Some | | | | detected and treated early enough, this disease |
| of the signs that you have to be on the lookout | | | | may be cured in about seventy-five percent of |
| for are moles that bleed, the emergence of new | | | | cases. There are in fact known stories of |
| moles, and the changing of color or shape of any | | | | remarkable people who survived their respective |
| new or old dark spot. | | | | melanoma cases naturally. |
| It is said that the lighter one's skin and eye color, | | | | If you or one of your loved ones is suffering |
| the more easily he or she will sunburn; | | | | from melanoma skin cancer, know that this |
| consequently, the more likely he or she is to | | | | condition doesn't have to be a death sentence. |
| develop skin cancer. With exposure to sunlight | | | | Learn about the stories of seven remarkable |
| over both short and long periods, this probability | | | | people who survived their respective melanoma |
| becomes progressively greater. Farming and | | | | cases naturally. Visit How I Survived Melanoma |
| sunbathing on a beach are two of the most | | | | Skin Cancer - Seven Survivors Tell Their Stories |
| common ways by which one is most likely to get | | | | at Survive Melanoma Skin Cancer. |