Melanoma Symptoms

May 25th, 2009

 Melanoma is cancer of the cells that establishes skin color. It arises when these cells change and multiply aggressively. Melanoma, the most virulent form of skin cancer, is the seventh most common cancer in the United States and is increasing at faster rates than any other cancer.With these facts in mind you need to know some of the melanoma symptoms.  Based on cancer patterns between 2000 and 2002, the U.S. National Cancer Institute predicts that 1 in 50 men and 1 in 75 women in the United States will acquire melanoma during his or her lifetime. In 1960, only 1 in 600 Americans was expected to develop this cancer.

Most people have between 10 and 30 moles on their body, and the vast majority of these moles are perfectly harmless. However, a change in a mole is a sign that you should see your doctor. Thinking about “ABCDE” can be very helpful.  

  • Asymmetrical skin lesion.
  • Border of the lesion is irregular.
  • Color: melanomas usually have multiple colors.
  • Diameter: moles greater than 6 mm are more likely to be melanomas than smaller moles.
  • Enlarging: Enlarging or growing moles

 

 

Other melanoma symptoms may include a scaling, oozing or bleeding mole, or a modification in the way a mole feels. It may become hard, lumpy, itchy, swollen or tender. Melanoma may appear as a new mole on the body.

In adult males, Melanoma Symptoms most often occurs on the trunk. In adult females, melanoma is most often found on the arms and lower legs. It is found most often in people with fair skin. African-Americans and people with dark skin are more likely to have melanoma on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. In some families, individuals have unusual moles, which may turn into melanoma more often than normal moles. These people are at increased danger of developing melanoma and should have regular medical examination to discover problems early.

Because melanoma can spread, it is important to determine as soon as possible whether a suspicious-looking area is cancer. The earlier melanoma is found, the earlier treatment can commence. A biopsy is the only way to make a definite diagnosis. If melanoma is discovered, the physician determines the extent of the disease. The stage is established on the thickness of the tumor, the depth of skin penetration, and whether or not the cancer has spread.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Melanoma Tags:

Vitamin E and Healthy Aging

May 1st, 2009

Vitamin E is linked to promoting hemoglobin. Since aging has an unknown affect on blood cells and bone marrow, doctors believe that Vitamin E’s support to hemoglobin is a potential solution to solving disease related to hemoglobin. Our hemoglobin structure detains oxygen for an extended time, which means that oxygen will flow smoothly. Vitamin E has been linked to reduced risks of disease, since it is said that oxygen will stay within the cavities of hemoglobin at a lengthier time. This means that the person will live a healthy, youthful life.

Vitamin E has shown to reduce leg cramps. In fact, studies were conducted by qualifying doctors who tested their patients. The patients complained of leg cramp, which doctors recommended Vitamin E. During this particular study the patient who ceased Vitamin E reported cramping in the legs. The patient was asked to start up the vitamin once more and when he returned to visit his doctor, the leg cramps ceased. The studies were conducted at the California or American Colleges of Physician. To learn more about vitamin E and what it can do for you, research your topic to find your purpose.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Cancer Tags:

Longevity and Healthy Aging

April 30th, 2009

Since the 19th centuries, common prolonged existence or longevity is greater than before. At one time, the average male expected to live up until the mid forties, while the average female expected to live until the late forties. This seems illogical, since many of our older generation of people born in the 1900s are still around today. As our system advanced, experts found that people were living beyond the 70 and 80s. The longevity has changed dramatically providing the people gain. Still, in recent times, men are expected to live over 80 and women are expected to live past 90. Rarely do you see someone who has lived past 100 years of age. According to experts, a person living past 125 years of age has the same odds of finding a needle in a large haystack. Most people can live past 90 however providing they have quality medical care and their hereditary makeup is healthy.

Many illnesses today emerge from poor eating habits, lack of exercise, poor sleeping habits, and bad habits such as excessive drinking, drugs, nicotine, etc. Still, some people are marked at the beginning since they have genetic makeup that poses threats to their health. According to experts, genetic makeup is responsible for some cases of Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, skin cancers and so on. According to experts, genetics influences a person’s longevity. If a person has a family history of disease, their risks are higher of coming in contract with the same or similar disease. In short, if a person has a high risk of genetic factors, the person will likely have a shorter living expectancy.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Skin cancer Tags:

Examples in How the Body Senescence in Healthy Aging

April 29th, 2009

Each day we all face the possibilities of getting some type of illnesses. Each day we live, we face common colds, allergies, flu, pneumonia, joint injuries and so on. Each day we live, we face the chances of reducing our life expectancy because at any moment someone could die from an accident or violence. Violence takes place in all our communities, which each day we all face the risk of becoming the next victim. Sure, you can spend your life in blindness believing that it can’t happen to you, but what happens on the day it does happen to you or someone you love. Are you ready to face the reality then? If you built your strengths, you would prepare for the unknown or inevitable because the fact is it can happen to you.
Your brain is a natural gift that holds dendrites, blood cells, tissues, cells, etc, and all these elements channel down to your central nervous system. (CNS) As you start to age, your brain will decrease its flow of blood and your many levels of chemicals in the brain and body will decline as they go through the senescence of change. This means that your CNS will also decline its functions.

Moreover, when you begin aging you eyes are affected as well. As you grow older, the lens will stiffen. Your retina may feel less responsive to daylight or artificial light. In addition, your pupils may start to react slower.
As you begin to age your may find that your high-pitch hearing frequencies are less responsive. Your nose may not have the ability to identify scents or odors. In addition, you may not like the foods you once enjoyed since your tastes will change as well.

How aging affects the heart:
Aging affects the heart. Aging causes the pulse acceleration to lower. Your blood and heart muscles will stiffen and decrease production. In addition, your heart may not respond to natural things it once responded to at one time.

Your lungs will lose its ability to obtain air, moving it freely as it once did. Each breath you take will not carry the oxygen it once did to your blood. Aging will also change your liver. Your liver may reduce in size. Your liver may also decrease its blood flow.

As you grow older and these elements of your makeup change, it will affect your kidneys, bladder, colon, or large intestines, skin, immune system, metabolism, and your reproductive organs. A male will lose his reproductive organs ability to function proper, since the prostate glands will enlarge. The male will also lose reproduction of testosterone echelons. In addition, the blood will cease its flow to the male organs, such as the penis.

As you grow older you will experience many changes, which is why it is time to say now, it can happen to me and do something about it.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Cancer Tags:

Controlling Disease in Healthy Aging

April 28th, 2009

Once you have learned that you have an illness like cancer or heart disease, it can be hard on you mentally and emotionally. At this time, you want to take control of your disease. When you feel like giving up, you only allow the disease to take control of your life. Remember you have people who care about you, and when you give up you give up on them too.

How you can help you live through healthy aging:
The first thing you have to do is to accept the fact that you are sick. This can be hard for you but if you are mentally able, you have to do this. Once you accepted it is easier to move ahead and take the next step. Acceptance will help you to better understand your disease. Remember, you are not the disease the illnesses is something that is reducing your abilities to function healthy in life. Still, you can function healthy by taking necessary actions.

You can get the information off the Internet if you would like to learn more about your condition. Learning will help you by allowing you to understand your disease. In fact, learning will help you to find interventions, preventions, and perhaps cures for your disease. You can talk with your doctor as well. Learn what you can from your family doctor. Once you have accepted what you have and have learned about it then you can move on to the next step. Which is to, to live your life to the fullest? Do what you can do while you can, go see places that you would not normally.

How will my disease affect me emotionally and mentally?
It depends on the disease, but most illnesses we can safely tell you causes depression. You may feel like being alone. At times, you will endure mood swings and not feel like having anyone near you. You may feel hopeless.

How would I get a second opinion?
Getting a second opinion is always important if you’ve been diagnosed with any disease. You can start with talking to your family doctor and see what he/she may think. Although a second opinion is good for you to have if your not feeling comfortable, you want to continue seeking advice. It is in your best interest to find a qualified doctor to give you a second opinion. Sadly, you may have to visit a few doctors to find one that makes you feel comfortable.

What can I do to help myself?
We all have the power to help ourselves. We can take action by eating right. We can improve health by taking vitamins and supplements intended to help fight disease and make you stronger. You want to socialize and avoid isolating you. Be social and don’t stay in your room crying to yourself. Doctors persistently ask their patients to express their feelings. Expressing your feelings is helping you to fight for healthy aging.

Make sure you make all your family doctors appointments. You want to stay on your toes when dealing with disease. Visiting your doctor regularly will help you stay in control. When you feel blue, walk. If not outside maybe, you can walk around your house. Walking will help you to stay strong.

You may benefit from participating with a support group of some sort. We all need support; yet having someone that understands your disease makes better friendship. At meetings, you can vent your emotions. What a wonderful way to follow doctors orders, thus expressing your emotions. You also want to consider friends who will allow you to express your emotions.

If you don’t want to go out and be around your friends then why not get a pet as a friend they can help you though this as well they will walk with you and play with you and be your best friend though all of this.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Cancer Tags:

Anti aging skin care products

April 26th, 2009

Anti aging skin care products remind me of the song ’18 till I die’. Indeed, anti aging skin care products are very popular today; and why not, who doesn’t want to look young for ever?

Talking of anti aging skin care products, the first thing that comes to mind is vitamin C based anti aging skin care products. These products work by enabling the synthesis of collagen (a structural protein that is found in skin). This category of anti aging skin care products is related to anti-oxidants. Anti aging skin care products that are based on vitamin C are, however, posed with the danger of getting oxidised themselves (as they come into contact with air during their usage). So some anti aging skin care products are based on the derivatives of vitamin C, which are more stable and less expensive. However, the effectiveness of such anti aging skin care is not as much as it is for vitamin C based ant aging skin care products.

Besides vitamin C, vitamin E and lipoic acid are anti-oxidants too. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble anti-oxidant that is found in human blood and helps in building resistance against infection and skin cancers. Vitamin E is also known to inhibit cancer. Liponic acid is known to combat the signs of aging very effectively by reversing the skin damage caused by the aging process.

Phytochemicals form the other category of anti aging skin care products. Phytochemical are special chemicals that are extracted from plants. There are a variety of phytochemicals that are in use today. Phytochemicals prevent occurrence of cancer of certain types; these include prostate cancer, breast cancer, skin cancer and colon cancer. That is why they find their place in anti aging skin care products.

Some B-vitamins like B5, B6 and B12 are also in use for anti aging skin care products.

The field of anti aging skin care products is vast and needs a lot of research. Though the currently available products are effective, they still have challenges to combat. Hopefully, these challenges will get resolved in due course and help get better and cheaper anti aging skin care products.

However, anti aging skin care products should be used only as a supplement to the natural ways of skin and body care. So, drinking a lot of water, getting a good night sleep, exercising regularly, maintaining healthy eating habits and keeping stress at bay are essential means of delaying the aging process. No anti aging skin care product can replace them really.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Melanoma Tags:

Acne and its treatment

April 25th, 2009

Acne is a menace. However, it’s not something that cannot be tackled. There are loads of acne skin care products around. We can classify acne skin care products into 3 broad categories –
* Preventive or general acne skin care products
* Over-the-counter, specialised acne skin care products
* On-prescription acne skin care products.

The general acne skin care products are the ones that are used as acne-prevention measure. These include cleansers, make-up removers and similar products that help prevent acne. In the real sense, these acne skin care products are just those that should anyway be part of your daily routine. However, some of these are more oriented to act like an acne skin care product. These acne skin care products act against the causes of acne e.g. limiting the production of sebum/oil and preventing clogging of skin pores. Basically, these acne skin care products prevent the oil from getting trapped in pores and hence hamper the growth of bacteria that lead to acne. The general acne skin care products also include exfoliation products like skin peels. These work towards removing dead skin cells, hence reducing the possibility of pore-clogging and bacteria development.

Then there are specialised acne skin care products that are available over-the-counter i.e. without the need of a prescription. These include products like vanishing creams which extract the extra oil from the skin. Most of these acne skin care products are based on benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid, both of which are the enemies of bacteria (and hence acne). You should start with a product that has lower concentration of benzoyl peroxide (e.g. 5%) and see how your skin responds to it. Alpha-hydroxy-acid based moisturizers are also popular as acne skin care products. You might have to try a few, before you zero-in on the acne skin care product that is effective for you. If nothing seems to work, you should contact a dermatologist.

On-prescription acne skin care products are the ones that are prescribed by a dermatologist. This can include ointments that can be applied on the affected area or oral antibiotics or just any topical treatment. Dermatologist could also suggest a minor surgical procedure to remove the contents of pustules. However, never try to squeeze or do this by yourself, it can lead to permanent damage of your skin. Your doctor could also prescribe a hormone-based treatment (since hormonal changes are also known to cause acne). Such acne skin care products are known to be very effective in some cases.
So, with all those acne skin care products, tackling acne is not that difficult.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Melanoma Tags:

Myths About Skin Cancer

April 25th, 2009

Sara spends much of her summer near the beach. She lives in a mild climate and is very athletic. She loves to swim, bike and play games outdoors. Sara knows the dangers of the skin cancers and so she opts for tanning salons to get her ‘golden glow’ while being sure to apply sunscreen every day before heading out.

Joseph lives in a cooler, northern climate. The summers can be very humid, but most of the year is mild or even below freezing during the harshest winter months. The beach has never been much of a draw for him and he spends most of his time doing indoor activities or at his job. Joseph doesn’t worry about sunscreen and only had one sunburn that he can remember and that was when he was a child.

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Which of these examples do you most associate yourself with? Did you know that Sara and Joseph are both at risk of developing different types of skin cancers skin cancers? We have all heard the warnings about the dangers of sun exposure. We know all about the importance of wearing sunscreen and hats. But are YOU protected from skin cancer? Consider these myths and facts:

MYTH ONE: Tanning Beds are Safer than the Sun

20 minutes of exposure in a tanning bed is roughly equivalent to four hours in the sun. Although sun beds use UVA rather than UVB rays, ‘The Skin Cancer Answer’ states that “UV-A penetrates more deeply into the skin than UV-B, can cause skin cancer, and may suppress the immune system.”

MYTH TWO: Wearing Sunscreen at the Beach is Protection

85 percent of UV rays can even make it through on cloudy days. That means you are equally at risk in the car, walking the dog or letting your children out to play at any time of year - even when you’re not at the beach. Of course, you are usually less attired at the beach and so covering up is recommended even when wearing sunscreen. Sunscreen also wears off with sweat and water and should always be applied every two hours or after getting wet.

MYTH THREE: Taking Care Of Your Skin Now Will Protect You

Sadly, skin cancer can take 20 or more years to develop. The Skin Cancer Foundation states that most people receive about 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure before the age of 18. Just one blistering sunburn in childhood is estimated to double the risk of melanoma later in life. Taking better care now will reduce the risk, but not eliminate the damage already done.

MYTH FOUR: Having a Tan Means You’re More Protected

Dark skinned individuals are less likely to develop cancer, but tanned skin is actually damaged skin. Repeated tanning injures the skin and increases the risk of skin cancer.

So how do you plan to protect your family this year? Some suggestions are to limit exposure to the sun - especially for infants. Examine your skin for early signs of damage. Use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and apply it at least 30 minutes before exposure and every two hours after that. Teach your children good safety habits and be sure you and they are covered up when outdoors. Have fun and be safe.

Author: Cancer Man Categories: Skin cancer Tags: