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Monday, November 3, 2008

What Are the Causes of Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is a very real risk for folks over 50 years old and it is a lot more common than you might think. There is more than one type of skin cancer to be on alert for and all skin cancers must be taken seriously and treated as soon as possible. Although everyone is at risk of skin cancer those who fair or light skinned have much more risk of skin cancer.

People who live in Australia and India have the highest rates of Melanoma, while folks in the Southern US have a far greater risk of basal and squamous cell cancers. Still, it can happen to anyone and thus it is very important to pay attention and protect your skin from the direct sunlight for long periods of time and from chemicals too.

Basal and Squamous Cell Cancers can occur from working with or being around such chemicals as oils, coal tars, pitch, creosote, nitrate, arsenic, beryllium, nickel, and over 500 other chemical compounds. [source; The Cancer Reference Book]. For folks with skin disease they must be extremely careful and be sure to get check-out on a regular basis.

Of course, the most common cause of skin cancer are from sunlight and that goes for Melanamas, as well as basal and squamous cell cancers. So, if you are in the sun a lot or work around chemicals be sure to read up on skin cancers and understand what you are looking for when you inspect your skin and be sure to see a dermatologist if you are unsure of what you are inspecting.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

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