Melanoma

Had a biopsy done on my back, Doctor said it was probably nothing.  Had him look at a spot on my son, he recommended removal.  The bad part its on his testicals and he is 7 and not really looking forward to this.  I will be talking with the surgeon concerning this and schedule it during his summer vacation per his mothers wishes.  I just want to catch them early where its alot better.

Been sick since last week, finally feeling a bit better.  I wonder what caused this, all the years of smoking or the flu or pneumonia.  I have appointment with my son this morning for a body mapping.  Then I will go find out about the pleurisy.

What Are Sunscreens?

Sunscreens are chemical agents that help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin. Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin and increase your risk of skin cancer. UVB is the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other effects of photoaging. They also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays, and increasingly are being seen as a cause of skin cancer on their own. Sunscreens vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB.
What Is SPF?

Most sunscreens with an SPF of 15 or higher do an excellent job of protecting against UVB. SPF — or Sun Protection Factor — is a measure of a sunscreen’s ability to prevent UVB from damaging the skin. Here’s how it works: If it takes 20 minutes for your unprotected skin to start turning red, using an SPF 15 sunscreen theoretically prevents reddening 15 times longer — about five hours.

Another way to look at it is in terms of percentages: SPF 15 blocks approximately 93 percent of all incoming UVB rays. SPF 30 blocks 97 percent; and SPF 50 blocks 99 percent. They may seem like negligible differences, but if you are light-sensitive, or have a history of skin cancer, those extra percentages will make a difference. And as you can see, no sunscreen can block all UV rays.

But there are problems with the SPF model: First, no sunscreen, regardless of strength, should be expected to stay effective longer than two hours without reapplication. Second, “reddening” of the skin is a reaction to UVB rays alone and tells you little about what UVA damage you may be getting. Plenty of damage can be done without the red flag of sunburn being raised.
Who Should Use Sunscreen?

Anyone over the age of six months should use a sunscreen daily. Even those who work inside are exposed to ultraviolet radiation for brief periods throughout the day. Also, UVA is not blocked by most windows.

Children under the age of six months should not be exposed to the sun. Shade and protective clothing are the best ways to protect infants from the sun. Read more about the importance of protecting your infant from the sun here.
What Type of Sunscreen Should I Use?

The answer depends on how much sun exposure you’re anticipating. In all cases we recommend a broad-spectrum sunscreen offering protection against both UVA and UVB rays.

Many after-shave lotions and moisturizers have a sunscreen (usually SPF 15 or greater) already in them, and this is sufficient for everyday activities with a few minutes here and there in the sun. However, if you work outside or spend a lot of time outdoors, you need stronger, water-resistant, beachwear-type sunscreen that holds together on your skin. The “water resistant” and “very water resistant” types are also good for hot days or while playing sports, because they’re less likely to drip into your eyes. However, these sunscreens may not be as good for everyday wear. They are stickier, don’t go as well with makeup, and need to be reapplied every two hours.

Many of the sunscreens available in the US today combine several different active chemical sunscreen ingredients in order to provide broad-spectrum protection. Usually, at least three active ingredients are called for. These generally include PABA derivatives, salicylates, and/or cinnamates (octylmethoxycinnamate and cinoxate) for UVB absorption; benzophenones (such as oxybenzone and sulisobenzone) for shorter-wavelength UVA protection; and avobenzone (Parsol 1789), ecamsule (Mexoryl), titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide for the remaining UVA spectrum.
How much sunscreen should I use and how often should I put it on?

To ensure that you get the full SPF of a sunscreen, you need to apply 1 oz – about a shot glass full. Studies show that most people apply only half to a quarter of that amount, which means the actual SPF they have on their body is lower than advertised. During a long day at the beach, one person should use around one half to one quarter of an 8 oz. bottle. Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunscreens should be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal.
Common myths

Wearing sunscreen can cause vitamin D deficiency.
There is some controversy regarding this issue, but few dermatologists believe (and no studies have shown) that sunscreens cause vitamin D deficiency. Also, vitamin D is available in dietary supplements and foods such as salmon and eggs, as well as enriched milk and orange juice.

If it’s cold or cloudy outside, you don’t need sunscreen.
This is not true. Up to 40 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth on a completely cloudy day. This misperception often leads to the most serious sunburns, because people spend all day outdoors with no protection from the sun.

80 percent of your sun exposure comes as a child, so it’s too late to do anything now.
It appears that this universally promoted idea was based largely on a misinterpretation. A recent multi-center study showed that we get less than 25 percent of our total sun exposure by age 18. In fact, it is men over the age of 40 who spend the most time outdoors, and get the highest annual doses of UV rays. And since adult Americans are living longer and spending more leisure time outdoors, preventing ongoing skin damage will continue to be an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

Buy a high-quality product with an SPF of 15 or higher; check its ingredients to make sure it offers broad-spectrum protection; and decide whether it works better for everyday incidental use or extended outdoor use. Finally, look for The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Seal of Recommendation, which guarantees that a sunscreen product meets the highest standards for safety and effectiveness. Once you choose the right sunscreen, use it the right way. But remember, you should not rely on sunscreen alone to protect your skin against UV rays.

Why is it that some doctors tell us things about what stage we are when they have little knowledge of what it is we really have.

I have seen or heard of doctors telling their patients that they are a certian stage when they really don’t know what stage you are. There is a difference between Clark Level, Breslow’s Depth and the staging of the cancer. This causes undue stress and anxiety that we could do without. To make a claim that someone has something and then it turns out to be very much different. If they are going to make statements, they should be knowledgeable about the subject. We trust doctors with our lives, they should be alot more cautious about the statements they make.

For 3 months I was planning on my death, only to find out that I wasn’t stage 4 but stage 2. This rollercoaster ride is one I never wish to take again. I know I will never bother with a hospital around here again, its better to go with a cancer center then to rely on local hospital that has limited experience in dealing with cancer.

There are so many websites out there claiming to have a cure for almost anything. If there was a cure, it would spread around the world in minutes. We spend so much time searching the internet for a glimmer of hope. How does one make a educated decision on what novel treatment might work.

When is the right time to start looking into a novel treatment, when all else has failed? For me it was now, I can also do something to try and fight this cancer now and not wait until there is no other choice.

I used various cancer centers around the country, MD Anderson, Johns Hopkins, the Mayo Clinic. Then there is abstracts called PubMeds which are studies and trials that have been performed in many different areas. You can usually find everything you need to know about the treatment that you are researching.

Your diet is also important because what you eat can also help your body fight back. Veggies are a great, eating broccoli, anything with color is good for you. Cutting back on red meat and fried foods, eating more fish and poultry, and don’t forget to keep your fiber up. Anything you can get that is organic is also better. Eat some walnuts every day, or a mixture of nuts and eating fruit will also be a benifit.

Don’t forget to discuss this with your doctor, you don’t want to use something that might interfer with your current treatment.

I was told about this site and think its a great organization. This would be something that we could all help out with. I would like to start a run down on the Gulf Coast, since we are in a area that this is a concern.

The information available online for melanoma is vast, the problem is letting people know just how dangerous this cancer is. So, one of my new quests in life will be informing people about melanoma and that no skin problem is a minor one.

Since I am new to this, it will take a bit of time to develope this site.