Melanoma Risk Part 7

Lastly, keep your immune system strong. A weakened immune system is not always able to protect you from melanoma. Remember that the immune system helps ward off cancers and is killing cancer cells every day of our lives so that they can take hold in our bodies.

Melanoma Risk Part 6

While I talked about different climates yesterday, you need to keep in mind that some of the northern climates like areas in Canada have increased risk because the ozone layers have developed holes. So sunburn increases the risk. A high intensity sun burn that causes blisters really increases your risk of melanoma significantly.

Melanoma Risk Part 5

Where you live also plays a part in the risk for melanoma. Those who live in sunnier climates are more likely to develop a melanoma. Places like Floriday or Arizona tend to increase your risk just because of the amount of sun each day. If you live in Michigan, or Pennsylvania your risk is decreased.

Melanoma Risk Part 4

The next risk factor has to do with your complexion. If you have fair skin, you are more likely to develop a melanoma than someone with darker or olive skin. The melanin in darker skin helps protect you from the sun.

Melanoma Risk Part 3

Have you ever had a mole removed that was "precancerous"? You should know what the pathology of the mole is. If the pathology report showed a dysplastic nevus you are at increased risk to develop a melanoma.

Melanoma Risk Part 2

The next risk factor for melanoma is freckles or moles. If you have lots of moles or freckles, you may have an increased risk of developing melanoma. This is particularly true if the moles or freckles are large.

Are You at Risk for Melanoma?

Are you even worried if you are at risk? First you should know that melanoma is the most deadly of skin cancers. It's not as common as basal cell or squamous cells cancers, but melanoma is the one to fear the most.

I'll be going over some of the risk factors over the next several days.

First is history. If you have ever been diagnosed with a skin cancer - any skin cancer you are at increased risk for melanoma. Additionally, if a parent or sibling has had a melanoma, your risk increases even more.

Lastly, Detoxifying the Skin

The skin is the last organ I'll talk about cleansing. I'm not talking about soap and water here, although that is important as well. The skin has to be able to breathe in order to cleanse itself. If you are applying oils, the skin's pores become clogged and it is not able to breathe. The first thing to do is to stop applying creams or lotions which contain oils. Oil is not what lubricates the skin. What lubricates the skin is water. The skin should be kept moist and supple with creams or lotions that are water based.

Also look at the cream or lotion that you are using. Does it contain alcohol? There are actually some good alcohols and there are bad alcohols. The molecular weight of the alcohol will determine if it is a drying or moisturizing alcohol. Cetyl and stearyl alcohol both are of a molecular weight such that they actually attract water. If you cream just says alcohol or ethyl alcohol, then it will be more drying than moisturizing.

Eating fruits and vegetables will also help cleanse the skin. The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables as well as supplements actually end up coming out through the skin. This will help remove toxins that have built up in the skin.

Of course bathing is important. Use care with the types of soaps and cleansers that you use on the skin. Again, soaps can be drying which can inhibit the skin from functioning normally. I talked a little about this previously.