what is Squamous cell carcinomas?

If left untreated, this skin cancer can grow or spread to other parts of your body.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common form of skin cancer that develops in the thin, flat squamous cells that make up the outer layer of your skin.

Although it can be aggressive, SCC is generally not life-threatening.

However, untreated SCC can grow or spread to other parts of your body, causing serious complications.

Most SCC of the skin results from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation either from sunlight, tanning beds, or sunlamps.

Avoiding UV light can lower your risk of squamous cell carcinoma and other forms of skin cancer.

Squamous cells exist in many areas of your body, and SCC can occur anywhere they are found (this article will focus on SCC of the skin).

Symptoms

SCC occurs most often on the sun-exposed areas of your skin, such as the scalp, the backs of your hands, and the ears.

However, it has been known to occur in other areas, including the inside your mouth, the anus, and the genitals of both sexes.

Symptoms of SCC include:

• A firm, red nodule
• A flat sore with a scaly crust
• A new sore or raised area on an old scar
• A rough, scaly patch on your lip
• A red sore or rough patch inside your mouth
• A red, raised patch on or in your anus or genitals

Talk with your doctor if you have a sore or scab that doesn't heal in about two months, or a flat patch of scaly skin that won't go away.

SCC Treatment

Most SCC can be completely removed through minor surgery or topical ointments. Available treatments include:

• Electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C)
• Laser therapy
• Freezing
• Photodynamic therapy
• Medicated creams or lotions
• Simple excision
• Mohs surgery
• Radiation therapy

In ED&C, a surgeon removes the surface of the skin cancer with a scraping instrument (curette) and then sears the base of the cancer with an electric needle.

ED&C is typically used for small lesions.

In laser therapy, a doctor targets the SCC with an intense beam of light that vaporizes it with little damage to surrounding tissue.

Compared with surgical methods of removal, laser therapy carries a reduced risk of bleeding, swelling, and scarring.

For SCCs that are very thin or near the surface of the skin, your doctor may recommend killing the SCC cells by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. This is sometimes called cryosurgery.

Photodynamic therapy combines topical drugs and light to treat superficial (surface) SCCs. Your doctor will apply a liquid drug that makes the cancer cells sensitive to light, then target a light beam on the cells to kill them.

Topical ointments, creams, or lotions may be used to treat SCCs that are superficial and don't extend deep into the skin.

In surgical excision, the surgeon cuts out the cancerous tissue and a surrounding area of healthy skin. This procedure may result in scarring.

In Mohs surgery, surgeons remove cancer cells layer by layer. They examine each layer under a microscope to verify that no abnormal cells remain, which enables them to remove the entire growth without taking excessive amounts of surrounding healthy tissue.

Mohs surgery is most often used in cases of recurring SCC, or when lesions are large, deep, fast-growing, on your face, or of a type called morpheaform.

Finally, in radiation therapy, a doctor uses high-energy beams (usually X-rays) to kill cancer cells. This procedure may not be an option for SCCs that are deeper in the skin or when there is an elevated risk of the cancer recurring

what is basal cell carcinoma?

The most common type of skin cancer, BCC usually responds well to treatment.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type of skin cancer that begins in the basal cells — cells within the skin that produce new skin cells as old ones die off.

It's the most commonly diagnosed skin cancer.

BCC lesions often look like a waxy bump. They tend to appear on the areas of your skin that are most often exposed to the sun, including your face and neck.

As with most skin cancers, BCC is thought to be caused largely by long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight and tanning beds.

BCC Symptoms

As in most skin cancers, a key symptom of BCC is a sore that won't heal, or that repeatedly bleeds and develops into a scab.

BCC can also appear as:

• A pearly white or waxy bump (brown or black in darker-skinned people) with visible blood vessels that may bleed and develop a crust
• A flat, scaly, brown- or flesh-colored patch on your back or chest
• A white, waxy scar, which may be a sign of a particularly invasive and disfiguring cancer called morpheaform basal cell carcinoma

Talk to your doctor at your earliest convenience if you have any signs or symptoms that concern you.

BCC Treatment

There are several available treatments for BCC. The best approach for you will depend on the type, location, and severity of your cancer.

Commonly used treatments include:

• Electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C)
• Surgical excision
• Freezing
• Mohs surgery
• Topical treatments
• Medication for advanced cancer

In ED&C, a surgeon removes the surface of the skin cancer with a scraping instrument (curette) and then sears the base of the cancer with an electric needle. ED&C is typically used for small lesions on the legs and ears.

In surgical excision, the surgeon cuts out the cancerous tissue and a surrounding area of healthy skin. This procedure is usually recommended for larger BCCs, and may result in scarring.

For BCCs that are very thin or near the surface of your skin, your doctor may recommend killing the BCC cells by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. This is sometimes called cryosurgery.

In Mohs surgery, surgeons remove cancer cells layer by layer. They examine each layer under a microscope to verify that no abnormal cells remain, which enables them to remove the entire growth without taking excessive amounts of surrounding healthy tissue.

Mohs surgery is most often used in cases of recurring BCC, or when lesions are large, deep, fast-growing, on your face, or of the morpheaform type.

Topical ointments may be used to treat BCCs on the surface that don't extend deep into the skin. Drugs used as topical treatments include:

• Aldara (imiquimod)
• Carac, Fluoroplex, Efudex (fluorouracil)

Treatments using topical ointments may last for several weeks.

Finally, the drug Erivedge (vismodegib) may be used to treat BCC that has spread to other areas of the body (metastasized) or that hasn't responded to other treatments.

Vismodegib blocks chemical signals that allow basal cell carcinomas to continue growing.

skin cancer preventation

Avoiding the sun and using sunscreen are two precautions you can take against skin cancer.

Good news: Most skin cancer is preventable.

Many organizations, from the American Academy of Dermatology to the American Cancer Society, have published guidelines on the best ways to protect yourself from skin cancer.

Of course, there's no guarantee you won't get skin cancer even if you follow these guidelines — but you can reduce your risk.

Here are some of the top recommendations:

Avoid the sun when it's at its brightest: Experts suggest seeking shade whenever possible between the hours of 10 AM and 4 PM, even in winter or when the sky is cloudy.

Wear sunscreen year-round: Sunscreen does not filter out all harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation, but it offers some protection.

Apply the lotion generously (one or two tablespoons) to all exposed areas, and use a product with an SPF rating of at least 15, with coverage against both UVA and UVB rays.

Remember that sunlight reflects off sand, water, snow, and ice, and these surfaces can magnify the effects of UV radiation by up to 80 percent.

Apply and reapply sunscreen regularly: Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside, and every two hours once you're outside.

Reapply whenever you go in the water, are sweating significantly, or have dried yourself with a towel.

Cover your skin: To protect yourself from the UV rays your sunscreen doesn't block, wear tightly woven, dark-colored clothing that covers your arms and legs, as well as a broad-brimmed hat to protect your face and neck.

Consider investing in clothing that is specially designed to protect skin from the sun's rays.

Sunglasses with UV filters can also protect your eyes, with wrap sunglasses being optimal.

Avoid tanning beds: The lighting used in these machines can actually be more harmful than the sun — and you don't get the natural protection afforded by clouds.

Avoid sunburns: Even one bad sunburn has been shown to increase your risk of skin cancers such as melanoma, so don't take burns lightly.

Know your sun-sensitive medications: Many medications increase the chance of your skin's burning, so check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any of your meds might make sun exposure more risky. If so, be extra careful.

Check your skin regularly: Look for any new growths, moles, bumps, birthmarks, or freckles, and use a mirror to check your face, ears, neck, and scalp.

Check in with your doctor: If you think you may be at risk for skin cancer, or if you notice changes in your skin during a self-exam, visit your doctor.

Warning signs for skin cancer include:

• A spot or sore that itches, hurts, scabs, or bleeds
• An open sore that does not heal within two weeks
• A growth, mole, or birthmark that changes color, shape, or texture

Contrary to popular belief, tanned skin is not healthy skin. Rather, it's skin that has been damaged by UV radiation.

Limit sunbathing and all activities in the sun whenever possible. Getting outside to exercise is generally a good thing, but not without proper protection for your skin.

Children, and particularly infants, are at an elevated risk for skin cancer. Ask your child's pediatrician to examine his or her skin thoroughly as part of each yearly checkup.

Remember: If caught early, skin cancer can be successfully treated.

A combination of prevention and vigilance in looking for signs of cancer can ensure that you stay healthy.

what is skin cancer symptoms?

Moles that grow, hurt, or bleed can be signs of skin cancer.

Skin cancer most often develops on areas of sun-exposed skin, such as the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms, hands, and legs.

However, lesions can also form on areas such as your palms, beneath your fingernails or toenails, and in your genital region.

Skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, although its appearance and typical location may vary based on a person's complexion.

Symptom Variations

Different forms of skin cancer have different signs and symptoms.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), for example, normally develops on the neck or face.

It may appear as a pearly or waxy bump, or as a flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) also typically develops on sun-exposed areas of your body, such as your face, ears, and hands, although it may appear in other areas in people with darker complexions.

SCC may appear as a firm, red nodule or as a flat lesion with a scaly, crusted surface.

Melanoma, meanwhile, can develop anywhere on your body, either in healthy skin or in moles that become cancerous.

In men, it develops most often on the face or torso, but in women, it is more commonly found on the lower legs.

Melanoma affects people of all skin tones, but in people with darker complexions, it's more likely to occur in areas not normally exposed to the sun, such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

Signs of melanoma include:

• A large, brownish spot with darker speckles
• A mole that changes in color, size, shape, or sensitivity, or that bleeds
• A small lesion with an irregular border and portions that appear red, white, blue, or blue-black
• Dark lesions on your palms, soles, fingertips, or toes, or on mucous membranes lining your mouth, nose, vagina, or anus

Less common types of skin cancer, such as Kaposi sarcoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and sebaceous gland carcinoma have different signs and symptoms.

Diagnosis

Check with your doctor if you see any changes to your skin, such as those described above.

Your doctor may examine your skin to assess whether any changes are a sign of skin cancer, and may also possibly remove all or part of the affected area for lab testing.

A biopsy can determine whether you have skin cancer and, if so, what type you have.

If your doctor determines that you have skin cancer, you may undergo further tests to determine the extent of the disease.

These tests may include imaging to examine the nearby lymph nodes for signs of cancer, or a procedure in which a nearby lymph node is removed and tested for signs of cancer (sentinel lymph node biopsy).

Superficial (surface) skin cancers such as BCC rarely spread. Therefore, a biopsy that removes the entire growth may be the only test needed to determine the extent of the cancer.

If you have a large SCC, Merkel cell carcinoma, or melanoma, however, your doctor may recommend additional tests.

Cancer is typically classified using a system of Roman numerals — I through IV — to indicate its stage of progression.

Stage I cancers are limited to the area where they began, while stage IV indicates advanced cancer that has metastasized (spread).

Your treatment will likely be based on the stage of skin cancer you have.

what is Kaposi Sarcoma?

This form of skin cancer has been linked with infectious diseases.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is a form of skin cancer in which malignant tumors form in the skin, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, and other organs.

KS causes lesions that may appear reddish or purple in color.

KS is different from other skin cancers in that these lesions often appear in more than one place on the body simultaneously.

All KS lesions contain human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8). This virus is also called Kaposi sarcoma herpes virus (KSHV).

Most people infected with HHV-8 do not get KS. However, those who have HHV-8 and are at highest risk for KS include those with compromised immune systems due to disease, medications, or organ transplant.

There are several types of KS:

• Classic
• Endemic or African
• Immunosuppressive therapy-related
• Epidemic
• Non-epidemic

If you are diagnosed with KS, your prognosis may depend on the type of KS you have, as well as your overall health and whether your cancer is new or recurring.

KS Symptoms

Over the past 30-plus years, KS has been associated with HIV/AIDS, since people with AIDS often develop the cancer as a result of their weakened immune systems.

In people who do not have HIV/AIDS, KS tends to progress relatively slowly.

However, in people with HIV/AIDS, the disease progresses rapidly and is generally much more serious.

KS lesions on the skin are typically purple, red, or brown. They can be categorized as:

• Patches (flat and not raised above the surrounding skin)
• Plaques (flat but slightly raised)
• Nodules (bumps)

KS lesions most often develop on the legs or face, but they can also appear in other areas.

Symptoms depend on the location of the lesions. For example:

• Lesions on the legs or in the groin area can sometimes block the flow of fluid out of the legs, causing painful swelling in the legs and feet.
• Lesions in the mouth and throat, or on the eyes or eyelids, don’t usually cause any itching or pain.
• Lesions in the lungs may cause shortness of breath.
• Lesions in the gastrointestinal tract may cause diarrhea and/or abdominal pain.

Occasionally, KS lesions bleed, resulting in:

• Bloody sputum
• Bloody stools
• Anemia

KS Treatment

There are multiple treatments for KS.

If you have HIV/AIDS, your treatment will most likely focus on slowing the progression of that virus, which will also slow the progression of KS.

Controlling KS requires keeping the immune system as healthy and strong as possible, and treating any infections that develop.

Other KS treatments used for people who do not have HIV/AIDS include:

• Surgery
• Chemotherapy
• Biologic therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Radiation therapy

There are several surgical procedures that can be used to treat KS.

Your surgeon may perform a local excision, cutting the cancerous lesion from the skin along with an area of normal tissue around it to ensure that all of the cancer cells are removed.

Another option is electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C), in which a surgeon removes the surface of the skin cancer with a scraping instrument (curette) and then sears the base with an electric needle.

Your doctor may also recommend killing the KS cells by freezing them using liquid nitrogen. This is sometimes called cryosurgery.

Chemotherapy is also used in the treatment of KS.

Anticancer drugs may be injected directly into the lesions (intralesional chemotherapy), or applied directly to the surface of the lesions (topical chemotherapy).

Another option is liposomal chemotherapy, in which fat particles (liposomes) are used to carry an anticancer drug (doxorubicin) to KS lesions.

The liposomes accumulate in KS lesions more than in healthy tissue, and the drug is released slowly, increasing its effect while causing less damage to healthy tissue.

Some of the chemotherapy drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of KS include:

• Doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome
• Recombinant interferon alfa-2b
• Paclitaxel
• Vinblastine sulfate

Biologic therapy with interferon alfa is also used to treat KS, as is targeted therapy, which uses drugs or other substances to identify and attack specific cancer cells without harming normal cells.

Monoclonal antibody therapy with bevacizumab is one type of targeted therapy being studied for the treatment of KS.

Finally, in radiation therapy, a doctor uses high-energy beams (usually X-rays) to kill cancer cells.

what is Melanoma?

This serious type of skin cancer can originate in areas of the body besides the skin.

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer.

It develops from melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin, which is the pigment that gives your skin its color.

The exact cause of melanoma is unknown.

However, like most skin cancers, melanoma has been linked to excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight or tanning beds.

Recent reports indicate that the risk of melanoma appears to be increasing in adults under the age of 40. The risk appears to be even higher for women under 40.

Melanomas are categorized based on their appearance. Common types include:

• Superficial spreading lesions, which are raised lesions that appear brown in color with hints of pink, white, gray, and blue, and can be found in any region of the skin
• Nodular lesions, which are typically black or brown in color
• Acral lentiginous lesions, which are flat, brown or black tumors that often develop on the hands and feet
• Lentigo maligna melanomas, which can develop on the face, are tan to brown in color, and are distinguished by their irregular shape

Melanoma Symptoms

Melanomas can develop anywhere on your body, including in your eyes, digestive tract, lymph nodes, and other organs.

However, most melanomas are found in areas of your skin that are exposed to the sun, such as your:

• Back
• Legs
• Arms
• Face

In addition, melanomas have been known to appear on the soles of your feet and palms of your hands, particularly in people with darker skin.

Melanomas frequently, but not always, begin as moles. A change in an existing mole on your body, or the development of a new or unusual-looking mole, can be a warning sign of melanoma.

Normally, moles appear uniform in color (typically tan, brown, or black) and have a distinct border.

Most normal moles are oval or round in shape and are usually less than ½ inch in diameter.

You may have as many as 40 normal moles on your body, as they tend to develop as you age.

Cancerous moles vary greatly in appearance. Check with your doctor if you notice moles on your body that:

• Have an asymmetrical or irregular shape
• Have an irregular border
• Contain many colors or uneven colors
• Are ¼ inch or greater in diameter, or grow larger over time
• Are changing in color, size, shape, or developing other new characteristics (such as becoming itchy or bleeding)

Melanoma Treatment

Melanoma can be treated successfully if it is detected early.

Early-stage melanomas are typically surgically removed. Surgeons remove the cancer as well as a segment of healthy skin surrounding it.

Very thin melanomas may be removed during a biopsy to see if the tissue is cancerous.

If you have early-stage melanoma, surgical removal may be the only treatment you need.

However, if your melanoma has spread beyond the skin, your treatment may include the following (explained below):

• Surgery to remove affected lymph nodes
• Chemotherapy
• Radiation
• Biologic therapy
• Targeted therapy

Chemotherapy and radiation use drugs and radioactive light beams, respectively, to target and destroy cancer cells.

Biologic therapy is designed to boost your immune system to help your body fight the cancer, using chemically altered compounds that are produced naturally by the human body.

Examples of biologic therapy used to treat melanoma include:

• Interferon and interleukin-2
• Ipilimumab (Yervoy)
• Nivolumab (Opdivo)

Targeted therapy uses drugs designed to target specific genetic mutations in cancer cells. Cells from your melanoma can be tested to see whether targeted therapy may help you.

Drugs used as targeted therapy in the treatment of melanoma include:

• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
• Vemurafenib (Zelboraf)
• Dabrafenib (Tafinlar)
• Trametinib (Mekinist)

Treatment of skin cancer

Skin cancer treatments vary based on the type and stage of the disease.

There are several different treatments for skin cancer.

Your doctor will select which therapy is right for you, based on the following factors:

• The type of skin cancer you have
• Where the skin cancer is located on your body
• Whether it is an aggressive form of skin cancer (likely to spread to other areas)
• The stage of the cancer (I through IV)
• Your overall health

Surgical Treatments

With surgery, the goal is generally to remove all of the cancerous tissue. This is often possible if your cancer has not metastasized (spread).

There are many different types of surgery for skin cancer, including:

• Surgical excision
• Mohs surgery
• Electrodesiccation and curettage (ED&C)

In surgical excision, the skin around a cancerous lesion is numbed, and the lesion is surgically removed.

Typically, a margin of healthy tissue around the lesion is removed to ensure that all of the cancer is gone.

Excision can be performed as an outpatient procedure.

In Mohs surgery, a surgeon removes a cancerous lesion — and some surrounding healthy skin — layer by layer. Each layer of skin is then studied under a microscope to examine the extent of the cancer.

If cancer is seen in the skin under the microscope, the surgeon removes another layer of skin.

The process continues until the surgeon can no longer see cancer cells under the microscope.

Mohs surgery takes much longer than excision. However, the procedure has a high rate of success.

If you have a small basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma, your doctor may opt for ED&C.

In this procedure, a surgeon scrapes the lesion with a curette (a surgical tool shaped like a long spoon) and then uses an electric needle to cauterize (burn) the remaining cancer cells.

This process is repeated until all of the cancer has been removed.

Occasionally, cancerous lesions may be removed with curettage alone.

Other Treatments

Surgery is not the best treatment for all skin cancers, or for all people with skin cancer.

For example, you may not be healthy enough to undergo surgery.

In addition, surgery may not successfully remove all of your cancer.

Conversely, if your cancer is caught early, surgery may not be necessary and your doctor may recommend a less invasive approach.

Nonsurgical treatments for skin cancer include:

• Immunotherapy
• Cryosurgery
• Chemotherapy
• Photodynamic therapy
• Radiation therapy
• Biologic therapy

Immunotherapy essentially helps your own immune system fight your skin cancer. Your doctor will prescribe a prescription cream or gel that you apply to the affected area, which helps your body kill off the cancerous cells.

In cryosurgery, your doctor chemically freezes the area of skin affected by the cancer. Freezing kills the cancer cells, causing them to slough off.

Several forms of chemotherapy may be used to treat skin cancer.

In one form of chemotherapy, the chemotherapy drug (usually 5-fluorouracil, or 5-FU) may be applied to the area of affected skin, destroying the damaged skin cells. New skin will grow in its place.

If your cancer has spread beyond the skin, however, your surgeon may recommend standard chemotherapy, in which the medication is given orally or by injection. The medication travels throughout the body, killing cancer cells as well as some normal cells.

Chemotherapy can cause side effects — such as vomiting and hair loss — but they usually disappear once the treatment ends.

In photodynamic therapy, a chemical is applied to the area of affected skin, where it sits for several hours. The area is then exposed to a special light that is designed to kill cancer cells.

Radiation may be used to treat skin cancer in older adults, skin cancer that covers a large area, or skin cancer that cannot be surgically removed.

Radiation kills cancer cells through repeated exposure (as many as 15 to 30 treatments) to high-energy beams, usually X-rays.

Biologic therapy uses substances that stimulate the body's own immune system to fight the cancer cells.

Skin cancer can be cured if it is caught early and treated properly. However, even if your initial treatment is successful, you will need to continue to see your doctor to ensure that the cancer has not returned.

what is skin cancer?

Most cases of this common cancer can easily be prevented.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States.

Most cases of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, are caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun, tanning beds, or sunlamps.

UV rays are a form of invisible radiation that can penetrate skin and change skin cells.

Of the three types of UV rays — UVA, UVB, and UVC — UVA rays are considered the most dangerous when it comes to increasing the risk of skin cancer.

Prevalence

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 76,690 Americans — roughly 60 percent of them men — were diagnosed with melanomas of the skin in 2013.

Another 5,880 were diagnosed with what are known as non-epithelial skin cancers, such as sarcomas.

The ACS reports that nearly 12,000 Americans die each year from melanomas and non-epithelial skin cancers.

These figures do not include basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, two other common forms of skin (explained below).

Types of Skin Cancer

There are several types of skin cancer, including:

Melanoma: A melanoma is a cancerous growth that most frequently develops in the skin.

This type of growth can also form in any part of the body that contains melanocyte cells, including the digestive tract, eyes, lymph nodes, and meninges (membranes lining the brain and spinal cord).

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC): BCC is the most commonly diagnosed skin cancer.

It can develop on regions of the body that receive regular sun exposure, including the face and hands.

Fortunately, BCC rarely spreads and is usually treatable, due to its slow growth rate.

A common form of BCC is nodular basal cell carcinoma. In nodular BCC, lesions typically appear brown, black, or blue in color.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC): SCC appears on body parts that have experienced higher levels of sun exposure, including the face, lips, and back.

Lesions can appear rough, scaly, lumpy, or flat, and they may bleed easily.

SCC is more likely to spread than BCC.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC): MCC, also known as neuroendocrine carcinoma, is a rare type of skin cancer.

Lesions can be flesh-colored or bluish-red, and they can develop on your face, head, or neck.

Kaposi sarcoma (KS): KS lesions can grow under the skin; in the lining of the mouth, nose, and throat; or in other body organs.

In recent years, they have been associated with HIV/AIDS, but there are other causes of KS, including other infections.

KS lesions typically appear red or purple in color and are made of both cancer cells and blood cells. They may be painful.

Epidermoid cysts: Sometimes called sebaceous cysts (although they are actually different), epidermoid cysts are noncancerous.

They appear as small bumps beneath the skin, most often on the face, neck, and torso.

Sebaceous cysts are less common. They arise from sebaceous glands, which secrete oily matter that lubricates your hair and skin.

Risk Factors

Risk factors vary for different types of skin cancer. However, any of the following can increase your risk of developing skin cancer:

• Lighter natural skin color
• Family or personal history of skin cancer
• Excessive sun exposure
• Indoor tanning
• A history of sunburns, particularly early in life
• Skin that burns, freckles, or reddens easily, or becomes painful in the sun
• Blue or green eyes
• Blond or red hair
• Certain types of moles

If you are the type of person who always burns and never tans when in the sun, or if you burn easily, you are at increased risk for skin cancer.

Contrary to popular belief, a tan does not indicate good health.

It's a sign of injury to skin cells by UV rays; the cells respond to this injury by producing more pigment.

5 Habits are bad to your skin

You have the best intentions for your skin. You probably have a bathroom drawer full of products to prove it, and you use them every day.

But maybe you've overlooked a few things. Do you have any of these five bad skin habits?

1. Making a Sad Face

They're called frown lines for a reason. "Being unhappy creates bad facial posture -- a frown, pursed lips, and tense facial muscles," says New York dermatologist Doris Day, MD.

While you work on getting happier, there's a shortcut you can take for your face. Try moving your ears back without touching them, Day suggests. Even if you can't do it, just trying helps.

"It's a very open expression. You can't frown and pull your ears back at the same time," she says. "You will feel happier, and people will respond to you more happily."

2. Skipping Sunscreen

"You can't emphasize enough how much sunscreen matters when it comes to skin aging," Day says. "Ninety percent of wrinkles are from sun exposure. Only about 10% are genetic. You have a lot of control."

Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 every day. Slather it on, even on cloudy days. Errands, driving, walking your dog … anything outside requires sunscreen.

Your sunscreen should say "broad-spectrum" on the label, which means it protects against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays burn. UVA rays tan, but cause wrinkles. Both rays can cause skin cancer.

Reapply it, too. Check the label to see how often.

3. Overindulging Your Sweet Tooth

Too much sugar can speed up skin aging in a process called glycation, says New Orleans dermatologist Patricia Farris, MD.

She explains that sugar attacks collagen and elastin, which your skin needs for fullness and elasticity. The result: Your skin can wrinkle and sag.

So change your eating habits. Go for lots of fruits and vegetables and good fats, like those found in salmon. That's your best diet plan for looking younger longer, Farris says.

4. Skimping on Sleep

While you sleep, your skin repairs itself. Too little sleep means too little time for skin repair.

The tips to protect your eyes to led light

1. Computer users should take regular screen breaks, ideally every 30 minutes. During breaks, look to the distance or close your eyes for a few seconds in order to rest them.

2. People often find their eyes dry out because they blink less at a computer. To avoid this, try blinking every time you hit the return key.

3. The glands in our eyes can sometimes get blocked, which can contribute to dry eyes. To reduce this, cover your eyes with a hot flannel for a few minutes and then massage along the eye lids. Try to do this daily. Taking supplements such as good quality omega 3 oils can also help to improve tear function.

4. Some people find focusing on close-up tasks difficult. This may be due to slight weaknesses in our convergence eye muscles. Hold a pen around 40cm from your nose, then slowly move it closer until you can see it double. Do this three to four times then close your eyes for a few minutes or look in the distance to rest your eyes. Try to do this exercise little and often.

5. Hold some small text around 10-20cm away. It could be the page of a book or a food label, just make sure you can read it clearly. Then look at some text in the distance, maybe on a sign or the text/subtitles on the TV. Read one line of text close to you and then a line of text in the distance. Repeat this five to ten times. Once you have completed the exercise, rest your eyes for a few minutes by shutting them or looking in the distance.

Despite doubting the Madrid study’s findings, Qureshi says we should still set guidelines when using smartphones and tablets. 

• Set your device to auto brightness.
• Hold your tablet or smartphone at arm’s length (or about 70cm) from your eyes.
• Make the font bigger to stop strain on the eyes.
• Only use the device for a couple of hours a day in one sitting. Then take a break and come back to it later.

LED lights is damage to our eyes

But with a recent study by Complutense University of Madrid claiming up to 99 per cent of the cells that protect the retina can be damaged by LEDs, should we reconsider our gift choices this Christmas? Hmm,
maybe not quite yet.

The Spanish researchers say LEDs produce high levels of radiation in the ‘blue band’ of the light spectrum, which can cause damage over time. And with their use ever increasing, the report authors say we should be worried. ‘This problem is only going to get worse and worse,’ says the university’s Celia Sanchez Ramos.

To put all this into context, you need a basic grasp of the electromagnetic spectrum. It ranges from low-frequency waves such as radio waves (eg TV signals), to microwaves (mobile phones), infrared (cable TV) and visible light. It then moves to the more dangerous, high-frequency end – from ultraviolet (sunbeds) to X-rays (used for medical images) and gamma radiation (which kills cancer cells).

‘LEDs produce light at the same frequency range as sunlight; it’s called visible light on the electromagnetic spectrum,’ says Henry Lau from the Institute of Physics. ‘Unlike sunlight, however, the light from LEDs is not intense enough to damage someone’s eyes. Only ultraviolet and higher frequencies on the electromagnetic spectrum can cause damage to cells.’

The report still managed to ruffle some feathers, though. So where has all the fuss about LEDs come from? Bobby Qureshi, London Eye Hospital consultant opthamologist, points to the test conditions used.

‘The Madrid study tested someone looking at the equivalent of a 100watt light bulb, at a distance of 12 inches for 12 hours a day,’ he says. ‘And this isn’t something a normal person would be doing.’

He says although all light is radiation, only certain frequencies can cause harm.

‘The closer you go to the UV end of the spectrum and beyond, there is potential to cause damage in the retina,’ says Qureshi. ‘The rest of the spectrum doesn’t. As the blue colour wavelength is getting close to UV, it’s perceived as being more dangerous to the retina.’

But Qureshi says there is no cause for alarm because the full light spectrum – including the blue end – exists around us all the time.

‘If you’re looking at a blue colour then it’s in the blue end of the spectrum,’ he says. ‘It stimulates the blue sensitive cells in the retina but it’s not at all damaging to the eye.’

He says the study wasn’t without value, though, because it shows damage can be caused if you experience extremely intense blue light for an extended period of time. But he says the most we will experience from LED lights is eye strain or computer vision syndrome – headaches, dizzyness, tired or sore eyes and fatigue caused by excessive screen-time.

And even with the average person now spending nine hours every day glued to a screen (including computer, TV and mobile devices, Qureshi says it would take a huge increase in use to cause any permanent retinal damage.

‘Your eyes also have a physical barrier to the spectrum of light,’ he says. ‘When light comes in, it passes through the cornea and the lens, which absorb much of the light. As we age, people develop cataracts on their lens and this is another of nature’s ways of preventing the blue end of the spectrum of light from coming into the eye.’

His analysis will come as a relief to those who snapped up one of the 234million tablets research company International Data Corporation estimated were to be sold globally this year. For them, and the rest of us already glued to our screens or stringing up the fairy lights, it would appear there’s no need to turn out the lights just yet.