What is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers. Skin cancer accounts for more than half of all cancer reported in the United States. Of the more than 1 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer each year, most are considered to be sun-related.

Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, will account for approximately 59,600 cases of skin cancer in 2005 and most of the 10,600 deaths due to skin cancer annually. There are three main kinds of skin cancer — malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Actinic keratosis, an abnormal skin growth, is a precancer that can develop into skin cancer.

Malignant Melanoma is the least common of the three kinds of skin cancer, but it is the most life threatening. Occurring in varying shades of brown or black or in multicolored patches of red, white, and blue. Malignant Melanoma may have an asymmetrical outline with notched or scalloped edges, and is usually larger than 6 mm (1/4 inch).

Basal Cell Carcinoma can appear as a red patch; a shiny pearly or translucent pink, red, or white bump; a crusty, open sore that will not heal; or a scar-like area. Basal cell carcinoma may have a rolled border with an indented center.

Squamous Cell Carcinoma can take the form of a persistent scaly red patch that sometimes crusts or bleeds; an open sore that does not heal; or a raised or wartlike growth that may bleed.

Everyone is at some risk for skin cancer, but there are many risk factors that can increase the chances.

• Do you have a family history of melanoma?
• Do you now have or have you ever had dysplastic nevi (noncancerous, but unusual-looking moles)?
• Have you been previously diagnosed with melanoma?
• Are you undergoing immunosuppressive therapy?
• Do you have many nevi (ordinary moles): more than 50?
• Have you had one or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or teenager?
• Do you have many freckles?
• Do you have fair skin and light eyes?
• Do you live in the Southwestern United States?
• Do you frequently spend time in the sun between 10 AM and
  4 PM without skin protection?

If you think you or someone you know may be at risk for skin cancer, take a moment to answer the above 10 questions. If you answer "Yes" to any of these questions, you may be at increased risk for skin cancer and should speak with your doctor about measures you should take for early detection and prevention.

Anything that increases a person’s chance of developing skin cancer is called a risk factor and anything that decreases a person’s chance of developing skin cancer is called a protective factor. Some of the risk factors for skin cancer can be avoided, but many cannot. Prevention means avoiding the risk factors and increasing the protective factors that can be controlled so that the chance of developing cancer decreases.

Although many risk factors can be avoided, it is important to keep in mind that avoiding risk factors does not guarantee that you will not get skin cancer. Also, most people with a particular risk factor for cancer do not actually get the disease. Some people are more sensitive than others are to factors that can cause cancer. Talk to your doctor about methods of preventing cancer that might be effective for you.

PRESS RELEASES

Panama City Beach, FL (PRWEB) July 26, 2007 -- After winning a bout with Basal Cell Carcinoma, Peter Zahner, a Swiss born Mechanical Engineer now living in Bonita Springs, Florida, spent a year in his makeshift laboratory inventing and perfecting a new generation of bio-degradable sunscreen made with 100 percent natural ingredients.

"I thought about it for years," said Zahner, who focused on a series of studies which found a correlation between areas of fast increasing skin cancer rates and promotion of traditional sunscreens. "I wanted to create a 100 percent natural formula that would effectively reflect UV rays and provide strong anti-oxidant protection to assists the body's natural defenses against free radical skin damage caused by UV rays." Free radicals are responsible for causing wrinkles, sagging skin and the development of skin cancer.

According to the latest studies about sunscreen, Zahner is on the right tract. These studies reveal that chemical UV-filters and other sythetic ingredients used in traditional sunscreens actually cause skin damage and contribute to the development of skin cancer. "The skin is the largest organ you have," says Zahner. "What you put on your skin is absorbed directly into your body. I just knew there had to be a way to provide sun protection through a formula that was 100 percent natural- even though I was told that it would be impossible."

There were two significant breakthroughs that led to the creation of MelanSol® 100 percent natural sunscreen--the stabilization of the natural ingredients and the successful integration of the super anti-oxidant Bio Melanin. Bio-Melanin, the most significant ingredient, comes from the fruit of the Date Palm. It is a potent anti-oxidant with a capacity1000 times greater than vitamin E for capturing and terminating free radicals. When Zahner combined Bio-Melanin with Green Tea and the natural form of vitamin E, he knew he had created the superior 100 percent natural anti-oxidant skin protection he had envisioned and something that was more than just a sunscreen. "Men tell me MelanSol® makes a great aftershave lotion and women are using it as a protective/moisturizing base before make-up", says Zahner.

Zahner designed MelanSol® sunscreen for three types of skin- A Dark Tanning Lotion for skin that rarely burns, an SPF-8 for skin that minimally burns and easily tans, and an SPF-18 for skin that burns and minimally tans. When asked why his highest Sun Protection Factor (SPF) is 18, Zahner replied, "My MelanSol® Sunscreen SPF-18, using 100 percent natural mineral pigments, already reflects 95 percent of the sun's UVB rays. An SPF-30 will only result in 2 percent more protection, however, a two fold amount of chemical UV filters is required to achieve it."

"Parents have been raving about the natural skin protection their children are getting with the SPF-18," says Zahner. MelanSol® sunscreen is Hypo-Allergenic, FDA compliant and Dermatologist tested and approved.

MelanSol® is manufactured in the USA and distributed by Oceana Naturals, LLC, Panama City Beach, Florida. For more information about MelanSol®, including a complete listing of ingredients visit http://www.PureSunscreen.com/Home.htm Available soon in health stores, golf pro shops and specialty retailers nationwide.