Is There a Cure for Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in humans, and it affects millions of people across the globe every year. This cancer is caused by over-exposure to the sun, radiation, carcinogens, and aging. There are three types: basal cell carcinoma, melanoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. All three pose a serious risk to your health, but melanoma is the most dangerous. Skin cancer is relatively easy to detect because it comes in the form of skin discoloration and abnormally colored or shaped moles; indeed, most skin cancer victims discover their condition on their own just by examining their skin (however, a diagnosis can only be made by a doctor).

Since many people are desperate to maintain their golden brown tans year in and year out, skin cancer remains a potent threat to public health because most people are not willing to take the link between sun exposure and UV rays and the development of skin cancer seriously-tanning is in and trendy, and people don't like going against the aesthetic curve. However, being an avid sun bather does not automatically lead to skin cancer, and it isn't the only cause. Skin cancer can also be caused by damaging free radicals from carcinogens and the unavoidable effects of ageing. Still, the best method of avoidance is to stay out of the sun or use only a strong sunscreen when out in the sun. Keep in mind that the decreasing ozone layer makes it more and more dangerous to soak up UV rays on the beach.

As with all forms of cancer, everyone wants to know: Is there a cure for skin cancer? Last year, a study conducted in the UK by researchers from Rush University Medical School in Chicago showed that a vaccine developed was able to completely cure 16% of those who used it and who were infected with advanced melanoma; for the rest of the group, the vaccine greatly improved the user's chance of remission. This does not definitively prove that skin cancer can always be cured, but it makes curing it an option. In addition to pharmaceutical cancers medication, there are many topical ointments that have been shown to relieve skins cancer. Cymilium, an over the counter insect bite remedy, has been shown to improve it's symptoms, and a variety of natural remedies such as aloe vera and vitamin D are also used. If you have skin cancer, any course of treatment you undertake should be at least discussed if not approved by a doctor, but whether you are interested in natural medicine or pharmaceutical-driven medicine, the chances of completely curing your cancer are slim, so in that sense, both sides of the medical aisle are worth a try.