Remember the alphabet. Dermatologists recommend patients consider the letters ABCDE as a guide for self-screening, and have moles exhibiting any of the following characteristics checked out: Asymmetrical shape; border that is irregular; color that is inconsistent within the mole; diameter greater than one-fourth inch; and evolving, or changing in any of the criteria above, or in any other way. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. The two most common types are basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer, which usually form on the head, face, neck, hands and arms. Another type of skin cancer, melanoma, is less common, but far more dangerous. Recently, the Skin Cancer Foundation recently promoted a simple screen for identifying potentially cancerous lesions such as melanoma: Just look at the moles on your body and note ... [ BAD MARKS AND GOOD: The top left mole is benign, whereas the other three are malignant. And don't look to color as a guide to whether a mole is harmless -- in citing which characteristics to watch, dermatologists emphasize irregularities and changes. - L.A. Times ] Is one different than the others? Has a new one appeared? Some tips to help you decide when to see a dermatologist.

According to a French study, taking antioxidant supplements will not protect women against skin cancer and may actually boost the risk: "Taking into consideration our results, we are particularly concerned by the use of long-term supplementation, notably in sun-seekers and people wanting to look tanned [using beta-carotene]," said researcher Dr. Serge Hercberg, professor of nutrition at the Medical University of Paris. The new findings come on the heels of a study, published in mid-August in the Archives of Internal Medicine, that found that antioxidants don't prevent heart disease risk in high-risk women.

Filed under: Thought for the Day The other day, I went to the park with some friends. After spending some time in the lake, the boys went to light the barbecue pit and the girls sat on the grass and gossiped. I was angled towards one girl's back, and as I chatted away, I couldn't help but notice a large marking on her back that l ooked like a combination of all of these warning signs for skin cancer . It's something that no one would notice if she wasn't wearing a bathing suit, and while I'm certainly no doctor or even somewhat of an expert on skin cancer, I felt compelled to tell her to get it checked out, even though it would probably end up being nothing. But then again, we were having fun and I don't know her that well -- I didn't want to become 'that girl' -- the one who ruins parties by telling people they hardly know that they might have cancer. Because that girl is always such a downer. So I kept my mouth shut and am wondering now, a few days later, if I should have just said something. I suppose it's not too late. What do you think? Would you be offended or upset if someone told you that you have a suspicious mole on your back? Would you rather that person kept his or her mouth shut? Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Skin Cancer , Diets , Nutrition One in five Americans will get skin cancer. Those are scary statistics, but the first step in fighting any condition is knowing about it and how to prevent it. Obviously, one of the main things you need to do when you have skin cancer is protect yourself from the sun, but your diet also plays a key role. Here are some suggestions for avoiding skin cancer through eating :

• Cut back on alcohol -- heavy drinkers are 65% more likely to get skin cancer
• Polyunsaturated fats are considered a good fat, but they can also weaken your immune system so don't assume you can go crazy on the vegetable oil
• Antioxidants are consistently linked to a decreased chance of cancer. To up your antioxidant intake, try to eat lots of the following: berries, oranges, spinach, grapes, kale, broccoli, beats, red peppers, carrots and much more. If you already have a healthy diet full of fruits and veggies, you probably won't need to make any changes.

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Filed under: Skin Cancer , Prevention , Products Skin care is not just a woman's domain when it comes to long term skin health. Men need to be aware of the various products and methods that are required to prevent against skin damage and skin cancer . Many spas are now offering skin care regimes targeted specifically at men, but with a bit of research and dedication it is easy to create your own regime at home. First it is best to find a line of skin care products that are not too harsh on the skin. So many products that are available for men are filled with heavy scents and harsh astringents. Men's skin, especially in the neck are, is every bit as sensitive as a woman's skin. A good shaving gel and a clean sharp blade are the best way to begin skin care. Next follow up with a good sunblock with at least an SPF factor of 15. Men of all ages need to be aware of sun protection. Skin care diagnoses outnumber those of prostate and lung cancer. Moisturizing the male skin is as important as shaving. Many moisturizers also contain sunscreen, making this step an easy combination with sun protection. Exfoliating the skin is also a must for men. Many men shy away from this step, thinking it to be far to feminine for them. However, by sloughing off the dead skin cells to promote new cell growth many precancerous cells are removed from the face. While shaving is a natural exfoliant for the face, the neck area still needs to be addressed. A skin care regime need not be expensive or time consuming, but a daily commitment to it is every bit as important for a man as it is a woman. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Skin Cancer Summer is in full swing and there is no better time to have a reminder about checking yourself for skin cancer signs than now. In addition to ensuring those moles are benign, are there other things you can do to make sure you're safe from skin cancer? Some simple self checks are a great starting point. Irregularly-shaped skin blemishes that are reddish-brown to brown in color should be checked out, and if those moles have any of the characteristics below , someone qualified like a regular physician, dermatologist or even oncologist may need to take a closer look.

• Bleeding
• Itching
• Rapid growth
• A sore or area that won't heal
• A scaly or crusty growth
• Rough patches that feel like sandpaper

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Filed under: Skin Cancer , Prevention How much do you know about protecting your skin? How often should you apply it? How much should you use to cover your whole body? What kind of rays does sunscreen protect against? UVA? UVB? Both? If these questions have left you scratching your head, check out this quiz from Fitsugar. Here are some quick sunscreen facts:

• When you don't use enough sunscreen, the sunscreen you did apply is not nearly as effective .
• UVA Rays can pass through windows and contribute to aging of the skin. UVB rays cannot pass through windows and can cause skin cancer.
• SPF 15 blocks out 93% of harmful rays. Impressive, huh?

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Filed under: Skin Cancer , Melanoma A recent sunscreen ad by Neutrogena Sunscreen features a young woman with the caption, 'My sister accidentally killed herself. She died of Skin Cancer'. The message is clear: Those who die of the disease only have themselves to blame. But that statement is generating some controversy from Skin Cancer specialists for a number of reasons, according to this article . Firstly, despite everything we hear about covering up, it's not a proven fact that sunscreen prevents melanoma, but it is thought that it protects against less deadly forms of skin cancer. Secondly, tests show that people who've had more sun exposure have a better chance of survival against melanoma than those who stayed out of the sun. And while the ad is meant to evoke fear by claiming that skin cancer is the most common cancer, it doesn't mention that skin cancer only accounts for 2% of cancer deaths and almost all of these are from Melanoma. Still, I think protecting yourself against the sun is ultimately important, and that message is clear from the ad. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

(Image from Merck Biosciences - click image to enlarge.) Melanoma that has metastasized (spread) to other parts of the body is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Although rare, it is also the most deadliest of skin cancers because it does not respond well to chemotherapy. About one melanoma patient dies every hour in the United States (8,000 every year) , and 60,000 new cases are diagnosed annually. People who have been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma generally live between six and 12 months after diagnosis. Despite years of research, there are no long-term effective treatments and no cure.

(Reuters Health) May 31 - Diets with high amounts of meat and fat compared with those rich in vegetables and fruit appear to increase the risk of squamous cell carcinomas of the skin, according to Australian researchers. "Our study," lead investigator Dr. Torukiri I. Ibiebele told Reuters Health, "shows that particularly for people who have a history of skin cancer, there is benefit in avoiding fatty foods, overly processed foods, and foods with high amounts of sugar." The findings are published in the May issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Continue reading ...