Stop Skin Cancer at the Spa

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By way of More magazine, the premier magazine for women over 40, comes exciting news that a trip to your favorite medispa could actually prevent skin cancer!

You already know how important it is to wear sunscreen, and to do all you can not to damage your lovely epidermis, but it turns out that once some of the damage has been done, you can still help to prevent skin cancer with something as simple as a chemical peel.

According to reserachers at Stanford University, actinic keratoses (spots on the skin caused by sun exposure) are so common in adults that your average over-40 adult has 8 of them! Actinic keratoses are essentially precancerous lesions, and you can have them removed through expensive laser treatments at your dermatologist. But it turns out that using a chemical peel, such as a five-percent fluorouracil at-home cream, are equally adept at removing the blemishes, and thus reducing your risk for skin cancer.

In a study at Stanford University, researchers gave 24 patients with the spots a five-percent fluorouracil at-home cream, a chemical peel, or laser skin resurfacing. All three worked equally well to remove the precancerous lesions, getting rid of about 90 percent of them.

So, for roughly $100, you can do the same amount of good that a very expensive laser resurfacing treatment would. You're not only saving money, but reducing recovery time, and saving yourself a lot of pain (some of the pricier procedures hurt like hell).

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Will Chen's picture

Now guys can give chemical peels a try without feeling self conscious! I can tell people I'm doing it for my health. Thanks Andrea!

Andrea Karim's picture

Remember, Will, it's OK to have more than soap and toothpaste in your bathroom. Besides, most of the stronger peels don't come in really sexy packaging, so you can just go ahead and use it without worrying too much about anyone talking. :)

Jessica Okon's picture

As unglamourous as it is, it is important to go for a "mole check" at your dermatologist. They'll do a visual connect the dots, and "punch" out any that look fishy to send out for a biopsy. I  can vouch that this is totally not painful.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation "Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer.   However, if it is recognized and treated early, it is nearly 100 percent curable."

Andrea Karim's picture

Michelle at Tonic Gifts linked this article in the Beauty Carnival. Thanks!

Guest's picture
Guest

This is a chemotherapy drug that interferes with DNA and RNA formation and can cause serious inflammation.

http://skincancer.about.com/od/treatmentoptions/a/5fluorouracil.htm