There are several options when it comes to diagnosing skin cancer. As one of the leading cancers in the world it’s no wonder that people are starting to pay attention to what is on their bodies. We’ve long been told by our parents and grandparents that just paying attention to unusual moles and changes on our skin is enough. While these may be good warning signs, they are not enough to give a firm diagnosis of skin cancer. There is a reason why medical tests and screening procedures have been invented and tested:

Findings of the US Preventive Services Task Force suggest that skin-cancer checks by dermatologists may not be worth the trouble for healthy Americans, because the practice lacks solid research evidence, the LA Times reports.

The assessment results of the task force, which evaluates the value of medical screening tests, is not an objection to the practice recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology, in which doctors inspect a patient’s skin for moles, discoloration, thickening or skin tags that might be cancerous.

But the results do say that there are not enough documented studied to establish that the said practice might save lives without putting patients at risk. The finding could also encourage health insurance companies not to cover skin-cancer screenings for people who don’t have a history of the disease.

Every year, there are 5.4 new, diagnosed cases of basal and squamous cell carcinomas. While rarely fatal, they can cause disfiguration and may metastasize to other parts of the body if not treated. The deadliest form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, occurs in over 76,000 new patients annually, and has a mortality rate of 10,000 a year in the US. Skin cancer is growing faster than any other kind of preventable cancer.

Therefore, these new findings prompted concern among medical professionals. The American Academy of Dermatologists released  statement saying it was disappointed in the task force’s results.

They said, “Dermatologists know that skin cancer screenings can save lives.”

The Academy added that since the launch of a skin cancer screening initiative 30 years ago, called SPOTme, dermatologists have conducted over 2.5 million screenings, during which over 255,000 suspected nonmalignant cancers and 28,500 melanomas have been found.

“We know that screenings, which are noninvasive, quick and painless, are the best tool possible to detect skin cancer early when it is most treatable,” the statement said. However, the Academy does admit that there is a need for additional research on skin cancer screening.

Via: https://www.immortal.org/28164/visual-skin-cancer-screening-no-solid-research-basis/

As scary as cancer sounds, and it should be terrifying, if you are proactive and visit your medical or health care professional on a regular basis you will have more tools in your belt to combat this disease. With summer and the joy of sunshine and tanning, screening yourself for skin cancer and being smart about your sun worshipping is the best favour you can do for yourself. While you can still use the visual test to be aware of what is on your body and how it looks, relying on that alone is where the problem comes in.

If you are concerned about anything, talk to your doctor. Make an appointment, relay your fears and maybe a screening is what’s in the cards for you.

Who knows. It just might save your life.

The thing about skin is that everyone can see it. Your skin not only keeps all your organs and lovely blood vessels in your body it also provides protection from the elements. There are times when our skin goes out of control though. There are many people that suffer from skin conditions like skin tags, acne, dry skin and more. One of the more chronic, and sometimes embarrassing, skin conditions is psoriasis.

Psoriasis is caused when your immune system overreacts and causes your skin to inflame and skin cells to multiply in abundance. Not only is the flaky, red skin kind of embarrassing, it can be very painful as well:

These patches normally appear on elbows, knees, scalp and lower back, but can appear anywhere on the body. Most people are only affected with small patches but the skin can become itchy or sore.

NHS Choices said psoriasis affects around 2 per cent of people in the UK. It can start at any age, but most often develops in adults under 35 years old.

The condition occurs due to an over-reaction of the immune system, which causes inflammation and rapid growth of skin cells.

Skin cells are normally made and replaced every three to four weeks, but in psoriasis this process only lasts about three to seven days. The resulting build-up of skin cells is what creates the patches associated with psoriasis.

Experts have recommended five way to beat the painful skin condition.

Essential vitamins

Vitamin D, which people can get from the sun, is it vital for bone health as well as obesity and diabetes, but it can also help with psoriasis.

“Vitamin D can change the way cells grow,” said Shona Wilkinson, Nutritionist at SuperfoodUK.com.

“As those who suffer from Psoriasis tend to produce more skin cells, it can slow this process down and cause the plaques to become less scaly and thinner.

[…]

Fish

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition that causes inflammation and Omega 3 fatty acids, found in fish oil can be very helpful in reducing it – according to experts.

However, not all fatty acids are the same –  Omega 6, which is present in vegetable oils – might actually increase inflammation.

“Unfortunately, many people have much higher levels of omega 6 than omega 3 in their body, often due to the use of vegetable oils in cooking and the lack of oily fish consumption,” said  Dr Marilyn Glenville, nutritionist and author of Natural Alternatives of Sugar.

Via: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/679750/Flaking-sore-dry-skin-psoriasis-five-tips-to-beat-chronic-skin-condition

Most sufferers tend to opt for covering up because the condition can be so chronic they’re at a loss at how to treat it. If you’ve read the article above you’ll see how much an altered diet can really have an impact on psoriasis.

Dealing with stress in a healthy way is also really important. The more we stress out and try to keep it all inside the more our bodies will react to it in a negative fashion.

Managing your psoriasis can be done! It just takes some planning and a little TLC.

Throughout the years your skin will undergo a series of transformations. As a baby it is generally smooth, smells great and tends to be a bit sensitive. As a child there are the skinned knees and scraped elbows that prove your adventures to your friends. In adolescence you start seeing blemishes: and lots of them. These tend to dissipate as you get older but there are some people that will fight acne all their lives.

Lots of people will also find skin tags growing somewhere on their body at any given stage of life. These things are generally harmless, but what are they exactly?

Skin tags are practically harmless cutaneous growths on the skin that are predominantly composed of loose collagen fibers and blood vessels in the epidermis. They are known medically as acrochorda, fibroepithelial polyps, papillomas or soft fibromas and are typically flesh-colored or in some cases darkly pigmented.

Being benign in nature, skin tags usually do not undergo any transformations in terms of size, shape or color over time and are generally painless unless they are irritated by an external factor such as shaving or another skin pathology such as eczema. Thus, papillomas do not usually have the propensity to give rise to cancer, even if left untreated. Reports of malignant transformation are extremely rare.

Fibroepithelial polyps range in size from 1 mm to 5 cm, the latter being just smaller than the diameter of a tennis ball. Most papillomas are found primarily in the skin folds, in areas such as the neck, armpits, under the breasts, under-folds in the abdomen, buttocks and groin, while others may occur on the face, particularly on the eyelids. Some dermatological conditions that may resemble skin tags include but are not limited to moles, warts and cysts.

Predisposing factors and causes of papillomas

Acrochorda are quite common in the general population. It is estimated that at least 2 in 4 people will at some point in their lives develop these cutaneous lesions. They are not congenital (i.e. not present at birth) and while toddlers and young children may develop skin tags, particularly on the neck and underarms, the lesions are acquired mostly during adulthood, with an increased incidence in the middle age.

Skin tags are more frequently found in obese or overweight people. They are believed to be as a result of increased friction, which is created when the skin repeatedly rubs against itself, which explains the predominance of the lesions in skin folds. Papillomas are also known to increase in pregnant women owing to the elevation of hormones throughout gestation, especially during the second trimester.

Via: http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-are-Skin-Tags.aspx

While skin tags are anything but attractive, they’re harmless. Since they enjoy growing in the folds of your skin it can be easy to keep them hidden. That doesn’t mean you have to love them and removing skin tags can be very simple. There are several creams and salves you can use to remove skin tags as well as other ways to remove them yourself.

Now that you know what that thing is that’s growing on your neck you can find ways to combat their appearance. While skin tags may grow back after you remove them, once you’ve done it you’ll see that it’s actually very simple and doesn’t require visiting a doctor. You should visit a doctor if the skin tag is abnormally large, has changed shape or colour and if the skin tag is in a sensitive place, like around your eyes.

Doesn’t it feel better to be educated and confident in your knowledge? Thought so!

There are lots of people who fear getting older. As we age, we can’t move as fast, we can’t eat as much and we can’t do as much. Our hair grays and our skin begins to sag. There are plenty of people that will spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on creams and botox to keep themselves looking like they’re twenty-five forever. It’s no secret that our bodies will age and it’s all in your perspective. While there are plenty of people who are happy with the way they look as they get older, there’s not denying that age can bring about unsightly skin conditions as our elasticity breaks down and our cells slow.

Instead of injecting your skin with chemicals to keep the wrinkles at bay, scientists have discovered new therapies wherein boosting the immune system helps stave off various skin issues:

Israeli scientists have developed a new therapy that activates the body’s natural defenses against disease-causing free radicals — an advance that could control a variety of skin conditions and disorders, including wrinkles and sun damage.

Researchers at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem said the nanotechnology-based system can combat or reverse the effects of various pollutants, UV rays, radiation and other stressors that cause skin problems by creating molecules that damage and destroy cells, including lipids, proteins, and DNA.
That damage can lead to various skin conditions, including inflammatory diseases, pigmenting disorders, wrinkles and some types of skin cancer, and can also affect internal organs.

In a review article published in the journal Cosmetics, Hebrew University researcher Maya Ben-Yehuda Greenwald revealed that researchers devised an innovative way to invigorate the body to produce antioxidant enzymes that combat that process by boosting the body’s natural defenses.

“The approach of using the body’s own defense system is very effective. We showed that activation of the body’s defense system with the aid of a unique delivery system is feasible, and may leverage dermal cure,” said Ben-Yehuda Greenwald.

The research showed that applying nano-size droplets of microemulsion liquids to the skin activates the natural skin defense systems.

Via: http://www.newsmax.com/Health/Anti-Aging/skin-conditions-immune-system/2016/07/06/id/737390/ 

This therapy could change how people manage various skin conditions. It’s more natural than using other chemicals or washing yourself in a sea of creams. It also stimulates your body’s natural defense system. It would be like if you put your home alarm on super sonic and it prevented even dust from getting inside. It seems a little sci-fi at the moment  but that’s just because it’s something new that is still being tested. The thought that this sort of therapy could be common place is pretty exciting.

While your skin will regrow to repair itself in the event of injuries you still only get one skin. It can’t handle large abrasions or injuries on it’s own. It’s our job to keep our skin as healthy as possible and to treat it right. Not everyone gets to be eighty years old with laugh lines and saggy cheeks. It’s a privilege that sometimes we take for granted. Treat your skin right and it will repay you.

Could you really ask for more?

It’s finally summer in most parts of North America and while that is usually cause for celebration it comes with an aftertaste of caution. Lyme disease has been in the media frequently with celebrities like Avril Lavigne coming forward with their experiences with the disease. Most people aren’t even aware of what Lyme disease is and how to prevent it, so we’re going to take care of that right now.

Lyme disease is caused by little insects known as ticks, or deer ticks specifically, that bore their way into your skin to suck your blood. While it’s possible to contract the disease any time of year most cases crop up in the summer when people spend more time outdoors:

This year 97 percent of blacklegged ticks, commonly known as deer ticks, survived the Connecticut winter and are hungry for blood as temperatures warm.

These arachnids transmit bacteria that cause Lyme disease and are likely thriving in your backyard, according to Connecticut Chief Entomologist Kirby Stafford.

About 3,000 cases of Lyme disease are reported in the state each year, the state Department of Public Health reports, but Stafford says that most cases aren’t reported. The true number is closer to 35,000, he estimates. “Under-reporting is more likely to occur in highly endemic [widespread] areas, whereas over-reporting is more likely to occur in non-endemic areas,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Connecticut is definitely a highly endemic area. In 2015, more than 2,500 Lyme disease cases were reported statewide, with infection rates the highest in Windham, New London and Middlesex counties. Nationally, 96 percent of Lyme cases occur in just 14 states, including Connecticut.

People can and do catch Lyme disease year-round in the state, but most cases occur in June and July, when people spend more time outdoors. During the summer season, young, or nymphal, deer ticks, so small they are difficult to detect, are out in force.

But you can protect yourself by knowing more about ticks and how they spread disease.

1. Ticks love kids.

A study of Lyme infection in Connecticut found that nearly half the offending tick bites happened while the victim was playing outside, making children the group most at risk for Lyme disease.

Via: http://www.courant.com/health/hc-ticks-tips-20160620-story.html

All six of the tips described are important to understand. While we don’t want you to stop playing outside with your family and pets, we want you to be safe when you do it. As mentioned, not all instances of Lyme disease are apparent by a skin rash so you need to be careful.

Establish a routine when you come in from being outside so that your kids, and you, get used to checking for ticks and removing the little suckers immediately if you find them on your body. Check your pets too: shave their hair down in the summer if you have to.

Being proactive is what we should all strive for in as many situations as possible. You’ve worked hard to get your skin the way you want it. Don’t let it go to waste.

Seeing gross things on the internet is nothing new. There’s a strange fascination that comes from watching someone pop a huge pimple or something like that on video for the entire world to see. Surely most people wouldn’t do something like that, but there’s an odd sense of kinship with those who do.

When you think of things that are gross you think of slimy, wet and sometimes green. However, not all things that are disgusting look like that. There are things that grow on your own body, quite naturally, that can be considered gross. It all depends on your personal threshold of grossness.

Take skin tags, for example. Skin tags are little bits of flesh that like to grow in moist areas of your body. This means you’ll find them in places like your armpits, your groin, your neck and even sometimes in the folds of your eyelids. They’re generally small, growing no larger than 3mm in diameter and are easy to remove. They are usually benign, but if you are concerned you should probably get it checked out.

You don’t want to end up like this guy:

WARNING: GRAPHIC FOOTAGE Dr. Sandra Lee was filmed cutting away the gruesome mass of skin – up to eight years after it first developed on the man’s side.

This is the revolting moment Dr. Pimple Popper removed an enormous ‘skin tag’ that resembled a BRAIN from a patient’s side.

The dermatologist, whose real name is Dr. Sandra Lee , was filmed cutting away the gruesome mass of skin up to eight years after it first developed.

In the footage , the patient can be heard telling the doctor that he eventually decided to get the growth removed after his wife nagged him to do so.

Dr. Lee then jokes with him in a bid to make him less anxious about the procedure , telling him: “I think you’re a little sad to have this go away.”

In order to remove the apparent skin tag, the medic firstly injects fluid around the base of it to ensure that the area is numb.

She then picks up a pair of surgical scissors and chops off the growth, before stemming the flow of blood from the wound with a piece of gauze.

At the end of the footage, Dr. Lee cuts into the brain-like tumour [sic] itself – with difficulty – to reveal a large amount of fat and tissue inside it.

Via: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/gruesome-footage-shows-dr-pimple-7729487

If you’re brave, you can watch the video and see the entire process from start to finish. If you aren’t so brave that’s okay too. The entire thing is pretty gross and it’s a good testament as to what can happen if you leave skin tags for too long.

It’s not the prettiest thing to watch and it’s recommended to not be eating or even at work while you look at it.

We like to think the skin tags grew like that out of loneliness. What do you think?

Our skin is constantly renewing itself. We shed skin cells every day and every day new ones grow in their place. Have you ever watched a cut heal? It’s kind of cool to monitor it as the cut decreases in size and how the new skin is red and soft. Over time, depending on where the skin is, you’ll find that it’ll toughen up once more. It’s kind of amazing what our skin can do when we put it through such difficult tasks each day.

But that’s not the only time our skin grows:

It’s natural for your skin to sprout new bumps and blemishes over the years. The common growths described here can usually be left alone—and some should be. If you’d rather have them removed, it’s critical to do it the safest way and to go to the right professional.

Today, family doctors and aestheticians (people who administer facials, peels, and other skin treatments) advertise this type of care, sometimes offering to do it with powerful lasers. Even health care clinics at Walgreens offer to snip off skin tags.

But “you should never get anything removed from your skin without seeing a dermatologist first,” says Jessica Krant, M.D., a dermatologist and member of Consumer Reports’ medical advisory board. The American Academy of Dermatology agrees, and warns people about nondermatologists removing growths.

One major reason: Cancerous growths can resemble benign ones. And research has found that people who aren’t dermatologists often miss them. “These practitioners aren’t trained in dermatology,” says Lauren Ploch, M.D., a member of the American Academy of Dermatology. “In some cases, they may have only taken a weekend course. I worry that they’ll miss something or treat it inappropriately.” When family doctors do refer people to a dermatologist for an evaluation of a suspicious mark, it’s often found to be benign.

Via: http://www.consumerreports.org/conditions-treatments/what-to-do-about-skin-tags/

You’ve likely heard about skin tags, little bumps and lumps of flesh that grow from the folds of our neck and such, but have you ever heard about Epidermoid Cysts, Seborrheic Keratoses and Dermatofibromas (read here: https://www.removeskintagsnow.com/common-skin-growths-and-what-to-do-about-them/)?

Now that you’ve read that article you can answer yes to that question. You’re now more informed about these four common skin conditions and even educated on what to do about them. The conditions mentioned are very harmless, in most cases. More often than not these issues become a major problem when they get infected. That means you should leave them alone and not poke and prod them. Not only can an infection be nasty stuff, it could also lead to scarring.

All four of the skin disorders mentioned in the article present themselves in the form of bumps and lumps. That’s why it’s important to give your body a scan with your eyes and hands once a month, if not more frequently, to make sure you aren’t currently suffering from these issues.

They can be removed safely and often painlessly. Luckily as well, your insurance may cover the cost of getting these bits of unsightly flesh removed.

Which is something everyone likes to hear.

You’re a busy person and you probably can’t always make time to do a lot of your errands in person. Online services for tasks like shopping, getting information about a vehicle or chatting with a service representative instead of being on hold for three hours are quickly become the preferred method of contact. Some malls are shutting down completely because people just aren’t shopping at a physical location any more. While this can be a blessing for the busy person, there are some services you should only consider in-person.

When it comes to your health, you should always physically visit your health care provider. There are some instances when calling a medical help line may be useful, such as when you’re a first time parent and you’re paranoid about every sound your child makes.

Be cautious, however, of online telemedicine companies if you have a skin condition. Many skin conditions are defined by what they look like, exactly, instead of general descriptions. Unless you work in the field of health care you may be unable to accurately describe what your concern is, and you’ll need to count on the person you’re speaking with to ask the right questions. This can be disastrous:

Researchers posing as patients with skin problems sought help from 16 online telemedicine companies—with unsettling results.

Some of the online doctors misdiagnosed syphilis, herpes and skin cancer, and some prescribed medications without asking key questions about patients’ medical histories or warning of adverse effects, the researchers found. Two sites linked users with doctors located overseas who aren’t licensed to practice where the patients were located, as required by state law.

“The services failed to ask simple, relevant questions of patients about their symptoms, leading them to repeatedly miss important diagnoses,” said Jack Resneck, a dermatologist with the University of California, San Francisco, and lead author of the study, published online in JAMA Dermatology on Sunday.

Ateev Mehrotra, an associate professor of health-care policy at Harvard Medical School who wasn’t involved with the current study, said it “identifies a number of egregious quality issues that raise significant concern.”

He added that studies have identified quality issues with in-person visits as well, and that because many dermatologists don’t accept Medicaid, the online visits, which generally cost $35 to $95, may be all that some patients can afford.

Direct-to-consumer telemedicine services have exploded in recent years, with more than one million virtual medical visits expected this year, according to the American Telemedicine Association, a trade group. Many insurers cover the services and promote them as a convenient and low-cost way for plan members to get care.

But some physician groups are concerned that the services are eroding doctor-patient relationships, lowering the quality of care and further fragmenting the health-care system.

Via: http://www.wsj.com/articles/study-of-telemedicine-finds-misdiagnoses-of-skin-problems-1463344200

While it is pointed out that even face-to-face visits can have reduced quality, the fact that you are seeing a qualified physician who is physically looking at your condition should be comforting. You should never underestimate the importance of meeting your health care provider in person and developing a doctor-patient relationship with them.

It can be frustrating to wait for an appointment and specialists are sometimes few and far between, but you can rest assured that the wait is worth it because you will be receiving appropriate care. Don’t trust your health to someone you’ve never even met, no matter how easy it sounds.

As human beings we love the sun. That warm, burning globe that brings us light, warm weather and a wicked tan can do more than make you look good. In Western society we place high value on having a ‘healthy glow’; enough that many people will pay to sit in a bed of lightbulbs to get it.

But are you being safe? Skin cancer is more prevalent than ever and the leading cause is too much sun-worshipping.

As young people we tend to ignore the advice our parents give us in favour of what our friends are doing. We also forget things like putting on sunscreen before we go outside because we’re dying to get that bronzed skin that we see celebrities sporting on television. Even if you do remember the sunscreen you need to make sure that you’re using the right product. There are a lot of different options on the market and it’s better to play it safe, says Teen Vogue:

In a perfect wellness world, there would be a college course devoted to skincare with a midterm exam on sunscreen. Because every year, when the Environmental Working Group’s sunscreens guide drops, we always learn something new.

That’s happening today, with the debut of the EWG’s 10th annual guide, which famously lists the organization’s picks for best and worst sunscreens. They review hundreds of products, scanning the label for clean and not-so clean ingredients (such as known hormone disruptors and allergens), and give each product a toxicity rating, with a score of 1 being the best.

Because nobody wants to unknowingly put crap on their skin — or stay indoors all summer, we chatted with EWG senior analyst Sonya Lunder about the key things you should know about sun protection right now. —Additional reporting by Rachel Lapidos

Here are 10 things you might be surprised to know about sunscreen — but totally should — and non-toxic EWG product picks:

1. You’re probably not putting enough sunscreen on.
   Mineral sunscreens like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are typically thicker in appearance, so people often think they are putting on enough when they’re actually not. Pay closer attention when using these sunscreens to ensure you’re properly covered. The Skin Cancer Foundation says 1 ounce (get out your shot glass), every two hours. You should drain half a bottle on a long beach day.
2. Look out for oxybenzone.
   It’s a very common ultraviolet filtering ingredient used in many sunscreens, but it’s also a hormone disruptor and an allergen, says Lunder. EWG found it in 70{d37354aaad759975ec124ada39953ac966a67b9395d680228aae703217594375} of non-mineral sunscreens they evaluated this year. You might want to reach for sun protection with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide (both minerals), which are considered safer sunscreen ingredients.

Via: http://www.teenvogue.com/story/sunscreen-facts-you-should-know

We have one body. Science is not advanced enough to replace our entire physical body if we ruin it. You’ve probably heard your parents or family members remind you that you only live once and that you need to take care of yourself. As we age we also gain more responsibility for our actions. Even if “growing up” is not high on your list, when it comes to your skin and taking care if it you should do everything in your power to do it right.