You’ve probably heard and learned a lot about skin cancer causes, but do you know what you need to do to protect yourself from it? Many of us think that this disease can usually be caused by too much sun exposure and skin rashes.
Facts you may not have known about skin cancer
Skin cancer is a disease that was discovered in the 1800s. The facts and the numbers show that unfortunately one in three people with cancer have skin cancer.
Skin cancer can often be cured if detected early, but if detected late, it can be difficult to treat and even fatal.
There are several types of skin cancer
Melanoma is the deadliest type, killing about 55,000 people worldwide each year – one person every 10 minutes.
Basal cell carcinoma (basocellular carcinoma) is one of the most common types of cancer and although it rarely metastasizes, it can disrupt and change a person’s face.
The incidence of skin cancer is growing daily worldwide, and the number of people dying from the disease has almost doubled since the 1990s.
Nearly 1 in 5 people diagnosed with metastatic melanoma do not live longer than five years.
The name melanoma comes from the word ‘melanosis’. This is Old Greek means black, dark pigmentation that is characteristic of this disease.
The good news is that the number of approved treatment options for these people is constantly increasing.
In the last three years, there have been more innovations in the treatment of skin cancer than in the past 30 years.
Learn more about how you can see the difference between fighting skin cancer and joining a large number of people around the world who are struggling to beat skin cancer.
What is melanoma and why does it occur?
Malignant melanoma is a skin cancer that originates from melanocytes. These are cells that produce melanin, a pigment that determines the complexion or color of our skin.
Under normal conditions, melanocytes multiply in a controlled manner, but if DNA damage occurs, the cells begin to divide uncontrollably and a tumor develops.
The causes of DNA damage can be genetic, but also environmental factors, such as exposure to UV radiation.
Melanoma most commonly develops from pre-existing nevus (blemishes) on the skin, although in rare cases it may appear primarily in the eye area.
It is one of the most serious malignancies, as it can affect other organs, causing serious health problems that are difficult to treat and often ending in death.
Early detection of melanoma is essential, as in most cases 98% can provide complete treatment with little surgery.
In order to prevent and detect melanoma early, in addition to a regular visit to a dermatologist, it is necessary to practice self-examination of the skin of the whole body once a month.
In today’s article we will get acquainted with the main causes and risks of this disease and the way of manifesting this form of cancer:
The most common form of cancer is on the skin
Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer that most commonly affects people between the ages of 25 and 29.
Other cancers affect people between the ages of 15 and 29.
Experts believe that all this is happening as a result of the mass use of artificial sunbathing or solarium.
It affects everyone, regardless of skin color
It should be noted that it is true that people who have more skin pigment have a lower risk of developing skin cancer.
However, this does not mean that they are completely resistant and protected from exposure to the sun.
Skin cancer rarely occurs in people with darker skin, and when it does, it appears on their feet and palms.
That’s why doctors say that no matter what, we must protect ourselves and use a sunscreen.
It does not always have to appear in an existing youth
Some scientists believe that cancer always occurs at an existing youth, but this does not always have to be the case.
Skin cancer can often easily appear in another, the new place on the skin itself.
It can also occur in those who have no youth at all
The main and recognizable symptoms of skin cancer are the change in the shape, size, and color of the youth.
Unfortunately, doctors point out that the more young you have, the better your chances of getting cancer.
But doctors warn that those who do not have youth at all must be careful and protect their skin because they are at the same risk.
He may not look like a youth
According to doctors, recognizable symptoms of the disease can appear as a kind of bruise or a dark line that appears under the nails.
Bob Marley was suffering from the disease, which appeared on his toe, but unfortunately, because he refused surgery he died after only 4 years.
Although very rare, skin cancer can even occur in the eye area.
The sun is not always to blame for skin cancer
Skin cancer can sometimes occur in places we never expose to the sun.
It can occur in unexpected places, such as between the fingers and toes, on the genitals, or on the armpits.
Therefore, it is best to exercise self-control regularly and monitor the physical changes that occur in your body.
It can occur in the elderly
Skin cancer also occurs in later years and can be acquired by people who, when they were young, were exposed to too much sun without protecting their bodies with a protective factor.
Avoid using the various types of oils available today.
These products are declared as means to darken faster, but all you need is sunscreen milk.
These people are more prone to cancer in the ’50s and ’60s because then a gene mutation occurs in the cells that produce melanin.
The most deadly of all is skin cancer
Not only is this form the most common, but it is also the deadliest type of cancer.
Some research has shown that in America, one person dies from skin cancer every hour.
It is easy to see how many people die each year from this disease in the United States and around the world.
Skin cancer is treated with the timely detection
The earlier you discover this cancer, the more successful it is, and the better your chances of a successful cure.
The results of this disease show that it can be lived for up to 5 years, ie until the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.
With timely detection, if detected during that period, the chances of healing are about 98% high, so be careful to notice the changes that occur in your skin in a timely manner.
Doctors recommend that young people be examined once a year, because cancer can be detected in its zero stage, ie in the stage of its formation.
Genetic factor cause skin cancer
People who have had someone in their family history who has had this dangerous disease, unfortunately, have great genetic preconditions for them to get it.
If you have a close relative who has had skin cancer, it increases your chances by about 10 to 15 percent.
That’s why it’s so important to know how much you know about your family’s medical history.
Protecting and preventing skin cancer starts with diet
There are many tips on how to get a beautiful complexion, ie how not to burn from the sun and protect yourself from the potential dangers that can be caused by high UV rays.
However, the most important thing to know is that you can protect your skin the most with the help of proper and quality nutrition.
However, skin protection starts with the plate. No cosmetic product will protect the skin like a proper and balanced diet.
Proper nutrition protects our skin from free radicals that destroy collagen and elastin – the most important components of healthy skin.
A healthy diet helps prevent skin cancer
Numerous scientific studies show that certain foods and nutrients contained in food can provide significant support in protecting the skin from damage.
With a healthy diet, it is easier to recover from the damage already done, as well as the positive preventive action in reducing the risk of developing, ie from the appearance of skin cancer.
These studies have shown that nutrients such as carotenoids (beta-carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin), vitamins C, E, A, and B.
The minerals selenium, zinc and copper, essential fatty acids, protect and nourish it with its antioxidant properties. regenerate the skin from the sun.
They have a great photoprotective effect on the skin, we find such nutrients in the diet, in certain foods.
The best sources of these nutrients are fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, legumes, fish, dairy products.
Don’t forget vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids (especially cold-pressed olive oil).
Therefore, it is especially important, in addition to, of course, daily intake of sufficient quality water.
Also consume foods such as carrots, tomatoes, blue tomatoes, dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard, kale), peas.
These include peppers, berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants…), apricots, watermelons, melons, walnuts, almonds, cocoa, olive oil, flaxseed, green tea, etc.
Carrot and dark green leafy vegetables
Carrots, in addition to protecting our eyesight, and most of all due to the fact that they are rich in carotenoids (especially beta-carotene and lutein), are a powerful protector of our skin from sun damage.
Our body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, which is vital for healthy skin.
With daily consumption of carrots, our skin becomes much more resistant to UV rays.
Dark green leafy vegetables (spinach, chard, kale) are a powerful source of high-antioxidant carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-carotene).
Research has shown that they have a protective effect, help with skin damage caused by the sun.
Dark green leafy vegetables have a powerful effect on the action of harmful radicals.
Dark green leafy vegetables prevent melanoma (skin cancer).
During the summer, you can make a delicious spinach salad or other leafy vegetables by adding cold, squeezed, olive oil.
You can also use grapeseed oil (rich in resveratrol) and lemon, which will make your skin infinitely grateful.
Tomatoes for less skin cancer
Thanks to a large amount of carotenoid lycopene (which gives it its distinctive red color) and flavonoids.
Tomatoes show that they are a good ally in the fight against the sun’s ultraviolet rays and the damage they can cause to the skin.
Lycopene is a very important carotenoid and antioxidant with a powerful photoprotective effect.
Which has the ability to neutralize free radicals that occur during prolonged sun exposure?
Tomatoes reduce redness after sunbathing, so you can apply tomato paste on the skin as a skin mask.
Tomatoes also raise the level of procollagen in our body and prevent skin aging, which can be caused by the sun.
Because their bioavailability (absorption) is greatest if the tomatoes are slightly thermally processed, you can prepare tomato sauce or boiled tomato juice.
Fresh tomatoes, in order to have better absorption, consume it with cold, squeezed, olive oil.
We need to know that the tomato redder, the higher the lycopene content.
Bobby fruit for healthy skin
Berries are a very rich source of antioxidants and vitamin C.
This fruit with a high photoprotective effect helps and provides natural protection from harmful sun UV rays.
Blueberries, currants, raspberries, blackberries, etc. are a rich source of anthocyanins that reduce the risk of many chronic and degenerative diseases and provide excellent protection against UV rays.
The antioxidants they contain fight free radicals that can damage the skin due to sun exposure and stress.
They are also a very good source of vitamin C, which can prevent the formation of wrinkles when sunbathing.
High levels of vitamin C also help neutralize free radicals (which play a major role in the development of malignant diseases).
Vitamin C helps when our skin is exposed to too much UV sunlight.
In addition, the tannins contained in this fruit help reduce the pain of sunburn.
Green tea for perfect skin
Green tea is a wonderful food that offers us a huge number of benefits for our health.
It contains many polyphenolic compounds (catechins) that protect our skin from UVA and UVB rays, making it taut and healthy.
With the help of these compounds, the cumulative harmful effect of prolonged sun exposure is greatly reduced.
Scientists have discovered that the green tea antioxidant, EGCG, fights well against inflammatory processes in the skin.
It neutralizes free radicals, reducing their ability to cause damage that leads to inflammation.
The tannins it contains alleviate redness and a burning sensation on sunburned skin.
Studies have shown that drinking 2-3 cups of green tea a day is enough to reduce the risk of skin cancer by 30%.
Other preventive measures to protect the skin
If diagnosed early, patients are more likely to beat the disease.
Before you go out in the sun, remember: 90% of skin cancer cases can be prevented.
You sit in the shade, especially in the afternoon. Use a sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher that protects you from UFA and UVB rays.
Wear clothing that covers your hands, feet, and sunscreen milk.
Conclusion
Skin cancer is the number one cause of all cancers.
Early detection can successfully help cure skin cancer in an excellent 98%.
A healthy and proper diet such as green leafy vegetables is an important factor in preventing and reducing the chances of skin cancer.
Protection with appropriate sunscreens, skin, and face protection with clothing and a hat (cover) that covers most of the skin is important for the prevention of skin cancer.
Remember that with regular check-ups and skin examinations and early detection, there is a huge 98% chance of preventing and treating skin cancer.
