Our skin is the barrier between our body and the environment; it forms a protective layer on our vital organs to make sure we are safe. But despite being the biggest organ in our body and playing a crucial role in protecting the rest of our organs, our skin is surprisingly delicate.

In fighting against harsh environmental factors, our skin often takes the runt and can end up severely damaged throughout our life span.

Be it the pollutants in the air or the sun’s UV rays, our skin can face a lot of damage if we don’t take active measures to keep our skin safe and healthy. One of the most common and quite serious consequences of our actions that our skin has to face is skin cancer.

Skin cancer, like all other types of cancer, is an extremely dangerous disease and, unfortunately, is becoming more and more common over time. Today around 9,500 people in America are diagnosed with skin cancer every day. In addition, nearly one in five people are diagnosed with the condition at least once in their lifetime. This shows how prevalent the problem is becoming. Hence, today let’s discuss what skin cancer really is and how it can be treated.

What is Skin Cancer?

Like any other cancer, skin cancer is the uncontrolled and un-orderly growth and multiplication of skin cells. When new skin cells form in normal conditions, the old ones die automatically. However, in the case of skin cancer, this process doesn’t work as it should and leads to the rapid and abnormal growth of skin cells. This spread of skin cells can be harmful and cancerous and may also spread to nearby tissues and other organs of the body if the condition is not treated early on. In most cases, this condition is triggered by long-term exposure to the sun’s UV rays.

There are three types of skin cancer:

1. Basal cell carcinoma
2. Squamous cell carcinoma
3. Melanoma

Can Skin Cancer Be Treated?

Fortunately, skin cancer can be treated if it is diagnosed at an early age. Both basal and squamous cell carcinoma are common and non-melanoma skin cancers; however, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer that can spread to other organs and become extremely dangerous if left untreated. This is why the treatment methods can vary depending on the type and stage of your disease. However, the most common treatment methods are:

· Mohs Surgery

This is a common treatment method for dangerous and difficult-to-treat skin cancers. It entails the removal of skin growth and examining each layer under the microscope until only abnormal cells are left. This allows doctors to remove cancerous cells without affecting healthy skin unnecessarily.

· Freezing

In this procedure, doctors destroy actinic keratosis and early skin cancers by freezing them by using liquid nitrogen (cryosurgery). The dead tissues eventually slough off when they thaw.

· Radiation Therapy

This therapy uses high-powered energy beams (like X-rays) to kill cancer cells. This may be an option when cancer cannot be completely removed through surgery.

· Chemotherapy

A procedure quite common for other types of cancers, chemotherapy uses chemicals to kill cancerous cells. Systemic chemotherapy is used to treat cancers that have spread from the skin to other body parts.

Other treatment methods may include excisional surgery, curettage or cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy and biological therapy.

Final Word

Skin cancer is a dangerous disease and must be treated as soon as possible, but there is no doubt that the treatment methods for treating this condition can be extremely expensive. Therefore, if you are uninsured or underinsured, get in touch with Advocate my Meds of their full-service prescription assistance programs to support you through this!