SKIN CANCER

Cancer is overwhelmingly caused by where you are, what you do, and what happens to you in life, rather than by what you are that is your genetic makeup.

 Environmental factors are more important than gene factors, smoking causes about 35 percent of cancer, while another 30 percent appear to be related to diet and another fraction caused by exposure to sunlight.

 Genetic factors play a part in prostate, colorectal, and breast cancer, even if you have a family history of   cancer what you do with your life is much more important.

 Vitamin D is needed for absorption of calcium so that the mineral can take its place in bone and shore up the skeleton against fractures. 90 percent of our vitamin D is made in our skin upon exposure to sunlight.

 But excessive exposure can damage the skin thereby causing a type of skin cancer called melanoma. Mild exposure of the skin to the sun is good for the skin that is why morning sunlight is recommended, the time should be between 7am to 10am anytime more than that could be harmful to the skin.

 Light skin women seem to be more at risk than dark skin women, simply because the substance that protect the skin from sunlight damage called melanin is found to be higher in dark skin women than light skin women. So also dark skin women will require more vitamin D in their body than light skin women.

 The side effect of excessive exposure to the sun is more horrible in women that are using bleaching cream and soap to remove the dark top layer of their skin because apart from weakening the melanin it’s also exposing the skin to the slightest irritation from the environment.

  

  There has been a dramatic increase in melanoma, the most serious of skin tumors, by the middle of the 20^th century, melanoma occurred in 1 out of every 1500 people.

  

This number had soared to 1 out of every 75 individuals, mainly because of the tanning fashion. It has been established that 40 percent of melanoma tumors involve genetic factors, while the remaining 60 percent involve excessive exposure to the sun.

Women between the ages of 23 and 50 are mostly affected. During childhood and adolescence, mutations in skin pigment cells cam triggered by solar radiation, although cancer may not appear until many years later.

The skin keeps a memory of the solar radiation received. Early melanoma signs are

[1] Thickening anywhere on your skin,

[2] Any puss like discharge from the skin,

 [3] Any change in the color or texture of the skin,

 [4] An abnormally soft or tender skin. These signs are less accurate in younger women than older women, resulting in unnecessary treatment and anxiety.

  

  It is advisable never to use bleaching creams and soaps on your skin; you should also endeavor to avoid excessive exposure to sunlight. You can do your tanning in the morning when it is safe to do so.