Sunshine Is the Number One Cause of Skin Cancer

Thursday, August 30, 2012 | Unknown at 5:41 PM |

Too much sun is not all good for your body. Just ask a dermatologist and they will tell you that too much sun could risk a lot more than just a bad sunburn. Energy from the sun is actually invisible radiation that is healthy and dangerous at the same time. There are two major types of ultraviolet (UV) rays that reach the earth, UVA and UVB. UVA rays increase the effect of UVB rays. They cause skin cancer, cataracts, aging, wrinkles and loss of elasticity in the skin. UVB rays cause a greater risk of skin cancer than UVA rays. Too much of any type of UV ray is dangerous and fifteen minute segments in direct sunlight between the hours of 10am and 4pm are recommended.
Skin neoplasm (skin cancer) is skin growths with differing causes and varying degrees of malignancy. This type of cancer is the number one cancer in the world and it is estimated that each year there are between one and two million Americans being diagnosed with some type of this cancer. There are several causes for this type of cancer, but the foremost is from the sun and its UV radiation. Skin cancer can be deadly, and limiting your time in the sun or staying out of it altogether is highly recommended. Anyone can get cancer of the skin and there are skin sun screens and supplements that can help in preventing its damaging effects.
The major cause of skin cancer is UV radiation from the sun. Other causes may be from commercial tanning lamps and beds, exposure to toxic chemicals, having a weak immune system or inherited genes can also be contributing factors. Cancer of the skin is a disease where the cells grow abnormally, and when they grow out of control they form a mass or a tumor. One half of all Americans will have some type of skin cancer by the time they reach the age of 55, with the majority being 50 and older who have light/fair skin.
Over doing sunshine can translate into life threatening skin cancer. Skin cancer happens when mutations occur in the DNA of the skin causing skin cells to grow out of control, forming a mass of cancer cells. Skin cancer begins in the outer layer of the skin (the epidermis) that provides a protective cover of skin cells that are being continually shed and replaced. A routine skin examination is important for detecting early skin cancer, and it can be detected and cured if it is treated early.
The attitude of "it can't happen to me" can prove to be a very dangerous and deadly assumption. Most skin cell damage occurs by the age of 18, but the damage to the skin usually does not show up until years later. Studies have shown that a single serious sunburn can increase the risk of skin cancer by 50%, and that a lifetime of exposure to the sun's UV rays can be a factor in determining a person's risk for skin cancer.
There are three major types of this cancer, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. Basal cell is the most common type, affecting 90% of the people in the United States. It is the least serious type of cancer of the skin. Squamous cell is the second most serious cancer as it spreads to vital organs within the body. Malignant melanoma is the most serious and deadly skin cancer. It spreads quickly through the lymph nodes or blood to internal organs in the body. Treatment for basal cell or squamous cell cancer is straightforward and surgical removal of the lesion is usually adequate. Several methods may be required for malignant melanoma, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Sunshine is essential for many internal body functions and staying out of the sunshine will reduce the chances of skin cancer. Staying out of the sun will also reduce the amount of vitamin D the body needs to function properly. Vitamin D is naturally obtained from sunshine, but is also available as a dietary supplement and provides the body with benefits that include preventing rickets, various bone diseases, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. A pro health hormone that helps make up vitamin D is vitamin D3 which provides several positive health benefits. This vitamin is sometimes referred to as the sunshine vitamin and studies have shown that it helps with skin cancer due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Supplementing your daily diet with these tablets is an easy way to limit your time in the sun and get the vitamin D the body requires.