While no form of cancer is a laughing matter, some forms are often considered less dangerous by most people. Skin cancer is one such form that seems somewhat innocuous, but is actually very dangerous.

The Shinny on Skin Cancer

Any way you cut it, cancer is a scary thing. Next to AIDS, cancer is just about the last thing you want to hear when you are at the doctor’s office. Although medical research has come a long way when it comes to treating many forms of cancer, it is still a horrific diagnosis. Throw in the fact that chemotherapy treatment is brutal to undergo, and you have a deadly disease with as nearly a deadly treatment.

As you probably know by now, there are many different forms of cancer. Some are slow growing and treatable, while others prove to be terminal in nearly every case. This leads many to consider some cancers more serious than others. In truth, all cancers are serious and some of the ones that people brush off as not serious can kill you. Skin cancer is one such form.

So, what is skin cancer? A simple description is the abnormal growth of cells on your skin. It tends to be categorized in three ways – melanoma, basal and squamous. Anyone can get skin cancer, but individuals with fair skin tend to be more susceptible. Dark tans or naturally dark skin do not protect you against skin cancer – a common misconception.

Of the three types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most aggressive and deadly. Fortunately, it is also the rarest of the three. Melanoma is usually considered to be associated with moles, but not always. The association is often made because melanoma often is found with collections of melanocytes, cells that produce the black pigment found in moles. To the naked eye, it can be difficult to tell the difference between moles and melanoma. If you have moles, and most people do, the key is to watch for any changes to the moles such as expansion, bleeding or itching. If melanoma is not treated early, it can spread to your lymph nodes and then the rest of the body.

Basal cell and squamous skin cancer are more common, but far less deadly. Basal tends to stick to the impacted area of the skin and not spread to the internal body. It should be treated, but is rarely considered a terminal situation. Squamous is a less common than Basal, but packs more of a punch. Although it can spread, it tends to appear as red, open sores when it does. Unless you completely fail to use common sense by seeing a doctor at some point, it rarely makes it to a terminal state.

Unlike many forms of cancer, skin cancer is preventable if you use common sense. If you are going to be outside in the sun for a significant time, wear sun block with a SPF 15 rating or better. Avoid tanning booths, which can cause the same damage as the sun. If you have moles, check them once a month in the mirror for any noticeable changes, bleeding. If a mole starts to itch, it is time to make an appointment with a dermatologist.

The process where skin pigmentation is darkened due to exposure to the ultraviolet light rays is known as “Tanning”. The tanning process of skin is generally of two types. One is immediate tanning and the other is delayed tanning. The immediate tanning is caused by the Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation of sunlight which appears just a short time after the sunbathing and usually lasts only a few hours or days. The delayed tanning is the response to the Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation of sunlight and usually appears 2-3 days after the sunbathing and lasts longer with the natural renewal of skin. The intensity of the tanning varies as it depends upon the type of skin.

Indoor Tanning Process and Devices

Indoor tanning has become very popular and just like regular tanning should include indoor tanning lotion. A clamshell like tanning bed is used as the tanning salon equipment in most of the tanning bed salons. Customers have to lie down on a plexiglass surface where the tanning bed lamps from above and below reach the customers body. The latest high tech tanning beds are called stand up tanning beds and don’t require a person to lay down on plexiglass.

Most of the older tanning devices used the light sources that emitted short wave Ultraviolet B rays. These UVB radiation actually caused a burning sensation, hence the need for tanning bed lotions. The salon owners began using the tanning beds that emit mostly long wave Ultraviolet A rays from the light sources as the UVB radiation has many harmful effects. The UVA rays cause less burning than the UVB rays.

The harmful side effects of Tanning

The indoor tanning is very much responsible for the damages of our skin because of the emitting of ultraviolet rays. When the skin produces an additional pigment to protect against burning from ultraviolet rays at that time the tanning occurs. Eye injury, skin rashes and even skin cancer might develop due to the overexposure to the UV rays.

The ultra violet radiations from the sun and tanning bed lamps are most widely known to be responsible for skin cancer. UV rays have been known to even damage the immune system causing premature aging or wrinkling of the skin.

Now a day’s public health experts and medical teams are warning people from the dangers of the ultraviolet rays of the sun and tanning bed lamps. The UVB ray is associated with sunburn and is considered a deeper penetrating ray. According to some scientists there may be an association between the UVA radiation and the malignant melanoma which is a very serious type of skin cancer of which case a health care provider may be needed.

Indoor tanning lotion sales have been skyrocketing but with continual warnings from government health officials we could begin to see a trend to the more natural skin color look. The advancement of tanning bed lotions and tanning salon equipment in recent years has made indoor tanning a regular activity for many. You might want to consider the long term effects compared to the short term gains before attempting continual tanning for yourself.

Many people use indoor tanning to better prepare their body for a vacation to a favorite hot spot. This is actually quite smart as it better prepares your body for the increased exposure and can avoid a sun burn that may ruin a perfectly good holiday.

The Skin of a woman is like the body of a brand new car.The glamour and exquisite of the outside tells about the beauty of the inside.The skin of a woman is more delicate than that of the man and should thus be given extra care to ensure that it is properly maintained.

Rubbing lotions that are mild and soft to the skin are recommended after morning and evening baths.The skin contains a natural pigment called Melanin.It is the melanin of the skin that protects the skin from harsh weather conditions or physical damages.The skin cream or lotion you apply on your skin acts with the melanin to ensure your skin is kept fresh and clean at all times.Bathing at least 2 times a day during summer or once a day during winter is also recommended to keep the skin fresh,clean and smooth.Care should be taken on choice of soap as some soaps have bleaching properties that tend to decolorize your skin while some react to your skin causing allergies.Therefore be sure to read the contents of the soap or lotion you’re buying before using it,make sure it suits your skin by knowing what exactly it does to your skin.Does it moisturize it?does it maintains its tone and color or even does it protect you from harsh weather conditions such as the radiative heat of the sun.

Talking about the the Sun,the sun usually appears in its full weight in the beginning of spring and almost all through summer in the United States,in some cases especially in our world of global warming,the effect of the sun on the skin can become so harsh that it can cause skin burns that can even lead to radioactive effects on the skin causing skin cancer.It is therefore recommended that you apply sunscreen lotions to protect yourself from the direct heat of the sun as these lotions contain special ingredients that absorb the heat effect of the skin without reaching your melanin pigment that protects the surface and moisture of the skin.

Constant exposure to the sun without sunscreen lotions can cause skin scaling,skin cancer,skin aging and many more effects that reduce the natural beauty of your skin,it is therefore recommended if long exposures to the sun are carried out either on vacation or on your way to work,sunscreen lotions that are recommended to be of federal health standards be used.To maintain the smooth nature and cleanliness of your skin,make sure you use the right soap and lotions that is meant suitable specifically for your skin.

Steve anyanwu is the brand manager of http://www.rebatemerchandise.com,a reliable and safe shopping store in the USA for everyday products online.For a detailed review on the right standardized sunscreen lotion you can use,visit http://www.rebatemerchandise.com/Store/display_item_detail.asp?system=1&prodid=5&categid=292&subcategid=4&itemid=FASL&wprodid=57