There is a definite relationship with skin cancer or a more serious form called malignant melanoma to excessive sun tanning and not using protective lotions that block harmful ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION light rays from damaging your skin. This can lead to cancer of the skin especially if excessive amounts of sun tanning takes place throughout your life. How does your body tan? This is the skins natural way of protecting itself. Before we continue and you should know that there are two main types of skin cancers: basal cell cancer and squamous cell cancer.

Severe cases of malignant melanoma don't happen after one or two sessions of sun tanning. This skin disease takes place as exposed areas of your skin are continually subject to the harmful effects of ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION light rays. It make take 15 to 23 years before you begin to experience the damaging effects of the sun or START showing signs and symptoms of melanomas.

When you see pictures and you will notice different photos each depicting what this type of cancer looks like. The most evident may be the changes in the coloration of the skin. Sometimes symptoms of skin cancer may surface by the appearance of a sore, a lump under the skin and or a scaly rough skin surface.

This form of cancer is more common in people with light colored skin. These are people who have generally spent more time sun tanning. Melanoma is a more sever case of skin disease where malignant cells invade the normal cells that protect the skin called melanocytes.

Because the skin is made of two layers and the epidermis which contains melanin that causes the skin to have color (the outer surface) and dermis the (inner layer), it usually starts ON the outer surface affecting the ability of the epidermis to protect the body i.e., neck, arm, legs and back.

This type of cancer in a more advanced stage called malignant melanoma, and when diagnosed early and you have a greater chance of survival and success. Malignant melanomas symptoms may show as changes in a mole size, shape and or color; bleeding moles, or moles that itch and or feel sensitive to the touch. Most doctors will examine the mole by cutting a piece of it out. This procedure allows the physician to examine the suspected tissue for cancerous cells.

Typical Treatment May Include:

The most common treatment is a surgical process in which the doctor has to remove the cancer. However, if it has become mastastic, spreading to other parts of the body, such as the lymph nodes, your doctor may recommend a combination of treatments to include the use of chemo, immunotherapy and radiation treatment. Once the affect area of the skin has been removed and the patient may have to undergo a skin draft for medical and cosmetic purposes.

You can overcome skin cancer and malignant melanomas if the condition is detected early. Surgical treatment is the best course of action, but in cases where cancerous cells have spread and the likelihood of survival has diminished.