Health Expert HealthGal shares health management news and commentary at HealthCentral.com. HealthCentral.com is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/41003/index http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/41003/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/profiles/c/41003/index http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/96343/latest-cancer Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:57:00 -0500 HealthGal Here are some recent skin cancer headlines:   If your kids are very light skinned (not redheads) and they tan, they are at higher risk for developing more nevi (birthmarks, moles, colored skin spots) than kids who don't tan.  Why is this of concern?  Well the number and size of nevi are used for determining the risk of developing melanoma.  And in fact, numerous benign or atypical nevi are considered a strong risk factor... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/96343/latest-cancer http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/96342/prevention Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:47:00 -0500 HealthGal The thermometer is clearly dropping, and along with that may be your dropping level of concern about skin care and protection.  It is so important to maintain vigilance even during the cold winter months.  Here are some "weather conditions" and tips for you to stay on top of skin cancer prevention:   (1) When it's cloudy - it is tempting even during the summer months to abandon skin protection. We have so many more cloudy days... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/96342/prevention http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/100463/cancer-myths Mon, 11 Jan 2010 07:13:00 -0500 HealthGal There are urban legends and myths surrounding pretty much every medical condition you can think of.  When it comes to skin cancer, the myths tend to continually evolve, and trying to dispel these myths can be quite challenging.  Here's a list of 10 myths that continually re-surface.   I can only get skin cancer if it "runs in my family." Anyone can get skin cancer.  If you expose your unprotected skin to the sun's rays you... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/100463/cancer-myths http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/48372/understanding Mon, 05 Jan 2009 07:22:00 -0500 HealthGal It's a word none of us want to hear.  It's one thing to hear the diagnosis cancer, it's another to hear that the cancer has spread to other locations, or metastized.  Clearly in order to treat and cure cancer, and especially in an effort to prevent metastasis of the cancer - experts need to understand what happens or what allows metastatic disease to occur.   Scientists have discovered the two key processes that allow cancer... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/48372/understanding http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/48883/tools-cancer Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:50:00 -0500 HealthGal If you look at current statistics, about 8400 people will die of melanoma skin cancer this year.  Melanoma is an aggressive skin cancer and can metastize quickly to other areas in the body.  So any tools that help to detect this cancer quickly - by patients or by health professionals - can be a step forward in reducing the mortality from this disease.   Recently at an American Academy of Dermatology symposium, new and innovative... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/48883/tools-cancer http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/47761/alternative Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:08:00 -0500 HealthGal I talk about alternative options to eating when it comes to stress, and I talk about alternative proteins when it comes to reducing saturated fat in one's diet, so I think this new study which gives indoor tanning enthusiasts the ugly truth about the impact of those dangerous and disfiguring UV rays and then offers them alternative ways to get the bronze look is brilliant.   Researchers at East Tennessee State University in Johnson... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/47761/alternative http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/46487/inflammation Mon, 27 Oct 2008 18:18:00 -0400 HealthGal Most of us know that signs of inflammation can be a good thing. It means that your body is responding to "an attack" and using the best frontline defense it has against infection or disease. Inflammation is very often the sign that we need to seek medical attention because if the inflammation progresses, it can signal that the disease or infection is progressing and overwehlming the body's defenses. What about chronic... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/46487/inflammation http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/45874/treatments-sun Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:26:26 -0400 HealthGal Sun or photo-damaged skin is a surefire way to put you at risk of skin cancers and premature aging.  We do an awful lot of "preaching" when it comes to protecting your skin from sun's damaging rays, recommending that you use a broad spectrum sunblock daily (even in winter months), stay out of the sun during the times of the day when the rays are really strong (10 am -2 pm), using reflective, light colored clothing as an additional barrier,... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/45874/treatments-sun http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/44320/tanning-moment Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:35:45 -0400 HealthGal I've written about tanning beds and their danger ad nauseum - seriously folks - if you don't get it by now - I'll say it again - regular tanning bed use = skin cancer danger. Period, finito!! That being said, people will still want that winter golden glow and not heed my dire warnings.  Well, one woman got more than a tan glow in this story.   A woman who purchased and owned a home tanning bed set the timer, got in and promptly... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/44320/tanning-moment http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/43318/confused-skin Sun, 05 Oct 2008 20:43:00 -0400 HealthGal Whenever I write or talk about skin cancer, I always use the Australians as an example of a nation that had a high rate of skin cancer and through a series of very smart marketing and targeted messaging, managed to literally heal a nation.  Their skin cancer rates plummeted over a several year period, and children as young as two and three know to slather on the sunblock.   We here in the US, are certainly becoming aware of... http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/41003/43318/confused-skin