Skin cancer occurs when the DNA of the cells undergo mutations, thus causing unsystematic cell growth which evolve into a cancerous mass. This abnormality stems from the over-exposure of your skin to the Ultraviolet Radiations of the sun. 

However, there are other factors too that escalate the risks of skin cancer.

Fairer skin tone: Inadequate pigmentation or melanin content in the skin offers less protection against the harmful UV radiations. Having red or blond hair or light-colored eyes makes you more vulnerable to this condition.
Sunburns: A history of sunburns can often be the root cause behind skin cancer.
Excessive exposure to the sun: If you spend a considerable amount of time under the sun and especially if your skin is not protected by clothing or sunscreen, you tend to get a tan. A tan is the skin s response to extreme UV radiations.
Moles: Abnormally large moles, known as dysplastic nevi, are more likely to turn malignant. Watch out for any change in the texture of the moles, which is one of the most important symptoms of skin cancer.
Family history: According to studies, genes are considered to be one of the causes behind skin cancer. Hence, a family history of this condition could spell trouble for one.
Personal history: Having suffered from skin cancer previously in life could endanger one even more.
Pre-cancerous skin injury: Skin lesions, also known as actinic keratosis, make you prone to developing pre-cancerous growths on the skin. These could appear as scaly rough patches, ranging from brown to pink in color. They usually crop up on the hands, head and faces of people who are comparatively of a fairer skin tone.
A weak immune system: People having a poor immunity system, including the ones affected by HIV/AIDS or are on immunosuppressant drugs which follow any organ transplantation have greater risks of developing cancer.
Exposure to radiation: Radiation therapy is an often used treatment method for treating various skin conditions such as acne and eczema. Having been exposed to radiations, one could be indisposed to this condition even more.
Exposure to certain chemicals: Exposure to certain substances such as arsenic might increase your vulnerability manifold.

Skin Cancer - 10 Things That Can Increase Your Risk!

Enlarged prostate surgery is a very common type of surgery that many have to undergo nowadays. An enlarged prostate causes many health problems including urinary tract obstructions and urinary tract infections. It may also lead to the passing of blood via urine. Thus, enlarged prostate must be treated as soon as possible as neglect may lead to prostate cancer and its associated health issues. There are various types of prostate surgeries that a doctor performs on his/her patients. However, of late, radical prostatectomy is the most popular of them all.

What is Radical Prostatectomy?

This process can be handled in two ways. Firstly, the prostate can be reached through an incision in the abdomen. This would help the doctor work with precision and carefully avoid all the other nerves and muscles in the area the operation take places. The prostate is examined and any nodule or lymph formed over it is carefully removed. The advantage of this surgery is that the patient is less likely to suffer from any erectile problems post- surgery. The second option would be to make an incision between the scrotum and the anus. This process is best for those who are obese. The surgery is performed quickly and there is less loss of blood. Furthermore, the healing time is less too.

How To Recover From The Surgery?

Like most other prostate operations, even in radical prostatectomy, you would have to wear a catheter till you recover completely. For a few days post the surgery your urine would be collected through a urine bag attached to the catheter. One might feel a little sore in his/her genitals after the surgery, but that is quite normal to occur. The soreness is caused due to the surgery and the incisions made and would heal in a matter of a few days. Interestingly, since the urethra plays an important role in this surgery, the catheter has to be in place for at least two to three weeks but the patient can be discharged after a two to three night stay at the hospital. It is advised that the patient takes ample rest. But this does not mean all rest and no work. In fact, it is seen that patients can walk a little and even go back to a normal diet within a week to ten days of the operation. But regular checkups, till the urethra is healed, are compulsory.

Hence, these are some of the recovery procedures after an enlarged prostate surgery. Such surgeries are quite common and heal quickly.

What To Expect Post An Enlarged Prostate Surgery?

Skin cancer is a condition with abnormal and cancerous skin growths. This often develops due to the overexposure of skin to the rays of the sun. The three main types of skin cancer include basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Skin cancer affects those areas of skin which remains sun-exposed including ears, neck, chest, scalp, lips, face, hands, arm and legs. It can also develop on those areas of skin that are not exposed to sunlight like beneath toenails or fingernails, on palms and on the genital area.

Risk factors associated with skin cancer

Here are some of the factors which increase your risks of getting skin cancer:

1. Fair complexion: Low levels of the pigment melanin in skin causes fair complexion. Fair- skinned individuals who have a history of hazel or blue eyes, repeated sunburns and people who have red or blond hair are highly susceptible to developing this form of cancer. Less pigment in skin makes an individual more vulnerable to skin damage from harmful UV radiation.

2. Excessive sun exposure: Exposure to the sun may lead to the development of skin cancer if you don't protect your skin by sunscreen and clothing. Tanning beds and lamps may also increase the risk of developing this type of skin cancer.

3. High-altitude places: The exposure to sunlight is more intense in areas of high altitude and near the equator. Living at higher elevation also makes you more vulnerable to radiation because the sunlight is strongest there.

4. Moles: People with abnormal moles are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer. These moles are irregular in shape and are larger than normal moles.

5. Precancerous skin lesions: Your risk of developing skin cancer increases if you have skin lesion. These are scaly and rough patches that range from brown to dark pink in color. The most commonly affected areas are head, hands and face of fair-skinned people.

6. Weak immune system: Weak immune system caused by HIV or AIDS and immunosuppressant drugs that you take after an organ transplant may increase your risk of developing skin cancer.

Skin Cancer - What Can Cause It?

Make Your Home Cancer Free

While cancer has become a common place disease, most of its causes remain unknown. Most of us are not aware that few regular everyday materials present in most households are potential causes of cancer. Lets know about them, the health hazards they can cause, and be aware.
Check this list.

1. Shower curtains - shower curtains are made of toxic chemicals which get into not only the shower or the bath but also into the environment. It emits harmful chemicals which are called voc (volatile organic chemicals) and can prove to be very harmful for us.

2. Deodorants - deodorants and antiperspirants are known to have various ingredients which have cancerous properties. These sprays stay on our bodies for hours, until we wash them off. While on our bodies, they chemicals harm our skin and even through it.

3. Strong shampoos - many shampoos contain toxic chemicals though there is no scientific proof that they cause cancer. However, the array of chemicals used to make shampoos is definitely harmful for us and best, if avoided.

4. Room fresheners - air-fresheners, like deodorants have vcos which are toxic and extremely harmful for us. They aggravate asthma and even affect reproductive development. They have hazardous components which can be cancerous. It is advisable to use essential oils.

5. Scented candles - scented candles mostly have wicks made of lead. While they serve a good purpose, there is no point in using something which gives momentary relief but can prove hazardous in the long run.

6. Certain paints - permanent markers, acrylic paints, solvents, etc contain hazardous chemicals which have been associated with occurrences of cancer, allergies and oral damages.

7. Gardening chemicals - household pesticides, herbicides or fungicides that we often use in gardens can contain carcinogenic materials which are believed to cause lymphomas and breast cancer (in animal models).

8. Plastic food/beverage containers - plastic materials containing bpa, or bisphenol a are believed to dangerous for health. So when one is using plastic bottle or food container make sure it is bpa free.

9. Nonstick cookware - cooking utensils which are made with a nonstick coating (teflon) is suspected to be a carcinogen. The main chemical in nonstick coatings is perfluorooctanoic acid (pfoa) is known to cause cancer. Glass, cast iron, copper, and ceramic or pfoa free nonstick cookwares are safe.

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9 Things You Must Watch To Make Your Home Cancer Free

The prostate gland in a man begins to grow in size on reaching 25 years of age quite naturally, and this is known as benign prostatic hyperplasia abbreviated as BPH. Now the problem arises when the enlargement of the prostate is more than normal.

In men, the urine flows through the urethra from the bladder. An abnormally enlarged prostate blocks the flow of urine through the urethra. The cells of the prostate slowly multiply to cause it to enlarge. This puts pressure on the urethra thereby giving rise to a number of problems, most of which manifest as symptoms.

Common Symptoms of an Enlarged Prostate Gland
The condition of enlarged prostate gives rise to some noticeable symptoms which provide the signs that you need to visit a doctor to get it treated. A weak or slow urinary system is one of the most common symptoms of being affected with an enlarged prostate. This includes urinating more often, an increase in the urgency to urinate, difficulty in starting urination and a feeling of incomplete bladder emptying immediately after urinating. At times, it is seen that passing urine becomes very strenuous. All these above symptoms indicate that there is an enlargement of the prostate gland and medical help should be sought immediately to prevent the condition from worsening.

Steps to Manage an Enlarged Prostrate

Effective medication is usually the first step in the management of an enlarged prostate gland. Alpha blockers are the drugs that are most commonly used in this situation. These drugs do not reduce the size of the prostate, but they are great in relieving the symptoms to allow free and painless passage of urine. Another group of drugs known as 5-alpha reductase inhibitors can help in shrinking an enlarged prostate. The drugs work by the reducing the levels of the male hormone called dihydrotestosterone.
In some advanced stages of prostate enlargement, minimally invasive treatments are used for the effective management of the condition. Transurethral Microwave Thermotherapy or TUMT is used to treat mild blockages that reduce the frequency of urination, the urgency, and straining. However, it is not able to correct the bladder emptying issues. Transurethral Radio Frequency Needle Ablation or TUNA helps in the destruction of the prostate tissues resulting in an improvement in the flow of urine.
Prostatic stents are also sometimes used for the management of the condition of an enlarged prostate. In this treatment procedure, a small metal coil is inserted into the urethra for widening it and keeping it open. In most severe case of prostate enlargement, only surgical methods remain as the opted method of treatment. Laser surgeries are performed to destroy the tissues of the prostate for easing of the condition. Ultimately, an open prostate surgery is performed when the transurethral procedure cannot be used. In this surgery, the tissues of the prostate are removed by the surgeon in case of great enlargement.
The condition of an enlarged prostate gland requires medical attention and treatment for the most effective management, and it is best that a medical professional is consulted as soon as any of the symptoms surface.
Enlargement starts usually after 50 years. Surgery 'Transurethral resection of prostate (TURP)' either by monopolar or bipolar electrocautery. Enucleation of prostate by laser is also an option.

Enlarged Prostate - How Can It Be Managed?

Developing cancer is either totally your bad luck where you haven t been doing anything wrong in your diet and lifestyle still develop it or it is out of bad lifestyle, eating habits and negative attitude towards life. But death due to cancer is totally due to carelessness in which a person didn t pay attention to initial symptoms and left cancer for thriving in the body. The truth has been said that cancer isn t a killer but delayed diagnosis and wrong or improper treatment is. Awareness, early diagnosis and treatment is the key to survival. Cancer does not always mean death if some earlier signs of cancer are noted and action is taken timely.

In normal conditions our body functions normally, i.e. we eat, pass urine and stool, breath, and drink water. Any alteration from this is abnormal and must be noticed like difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in urinating and defecating, passing blood in urine or stool, long continued severe pain in any part of the body.

The appearance of new moles on the body which keep on growing with an irregular border, painful and bleed.

Hoarseness of voice

Long persisting cough and blood in saliva. Cough lasting more than a month.

Loose stools or any change in bowel habits without any dietary changes lasting more than a few weeks needs to look into.

Presence of blood in stool without any obvious reason like ulcers or hemorrhoids.

Unexplained low blood count, i.e. anemia. Anemia needs to be evaluated unless there is any obvious source of blood loss.

Not all breast lumps are cancerous but all of them should be investigated. Also if there is any bloody discharge or discharge only from one nipple that should also not be ignored at all. Self-examination of the breast daily once a week is necessary and it is easy too. Check for any nodule or discharge from the breast.

Any lump in the testicles should be evaluated thoroughly. Men should also do a self-examination of the testicles, once in a month.

Urinary symptoms like less urine, pain while passing urine, blood or burning in urine, especially in men shouldn t be ignored. It can be a sign of bladder or pelvic cancer

Hoarseness without any respiratory infection or persistent for more than 3-4 weeks.

Normally lymph nodes swell due to any surrounding infection and then shrink eventually when the infection goes away. If it remains for a longer time and without any infection in the body, should be investigated.

A mole that is multicoloured with irregular borders, bleeding can be cancerous. Especially which is growing rapidly and is painful shouldn t be avoided at all.

Long continued heartburn and difficulty in swallowing even after using over the counter antacids. This can be a sign of esophageal cancer.

Bloody discharge or bleeding from the vagina which is unusual or after menopause can be due to cancer of the uterus or cervix.

Unobvious or unexplained weight loss, fever or night sweats can be an early sign of different types of cancer.

Continuous itching in the genital or anal area, non-healing sores and pain in back, head, bloating and indigestion which is there for a long time without any cause, should be inspected.

Cancer can be horrifying and debilitating but if diagnosed early by giving attention to the symptoms mentioned above and treated properly can fight off. Cancer is no more incurable if treated early. In cases where this disease is out of carelessness if some points are kept in mind and followed, prove to be preventive. If not preventive then definitely reduce the risk of developing it at least.

Do not overuse the birth control pills. Using them randomly can increase the chances of cancer.

Excessive consumption of alcohol shouldn t be done as it irritates the gastric mucosa and increases the incidences of malignancy. However, an occasional glass is fine and does no harm.

Avoid using pesticides around you or having things on which they are sprayed as many of them are definitely carcinogen.

Say no to smoking as tobacco in any form is an invitation to death. Smoking for a long time like 10-30 years can make you pay a heavy price for that.

Long continued anxiety and stress create havoc in the hormonal system of the body which ultimately results in diseases. Try to keep yourself more optimistic and relax in daily life.

Prefer organic vegetables and fruits as other ones have pesticides used while growing them which are definitely a source of getting carcinogens in the body.

Limit intake of processed and packaged food as they increase the risk or certain types of cancer. 

Stay active and try to maintain healthy weight.

Cancer can be the biggest slayer of the health but one can fight it and keep it at bay if mentioned tips are read and implement. Early diagnosis can prevent many lives. So spread awareness and let more people know about it. 

Cancer - A Misfortune Or Carelessness!

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