Written By: Poorva Chavan | Published : February 20, 2015, 3:03 PM
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Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer and the incidence rates have been increasing with the changing atmospheric conditions and use of synthetic skin products. With new research being carried out every day to treat it, there are a few things you probably don't know about it.
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Tattoos can cause skin cancer: Want to get inked? Think twice. A study has revealed that getting tattoos can cause skin cancer as the ink that is used for tattooing has a range of nano particles of unknown origin and have the ability to reach various organs of your body and cause cancer. The study also quoted a few manufacturers of tattoo ink agreeing that their inks contain up to 5 percent carcinogenic compounds.
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Coffee lowers the risk of skin cancer: A lifestyle study indicated that dietary changes can definitely affect incidence of skin cancer. The findings of the study also revealed that caffeine content of the coffee is responsible for the reduced cancer risk among the study group.
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Indoor tanning ups the risk of skin cancer: A study revealed that the effect of ultraviolet (UV) radiation lamps, used for indoor tanning, have a disastrous effect on skin cells. A study conducted to check this effect revealed that adolescents and young adults who undergo artificial tanning frequently are at a higher risk of basal cell carcinomas (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer.
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Sun causes skin cancer: Apart from artificial UV rays, natural UV rays can also cause cancer. A study revealed that exposure to sun's UV rays can cause skin cancer. UV rays from the sun can alter or mutate a gene called KNSTRN that help the DNA to replicate and hence this mutated gene, when expressed, can lead to cancer.
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Skin cancer is more dangerous to men than women: The statistics say that women suffer from skin cancer more as compared to men. But, a study revealed that lack of awareness among men about skin cancer makes it more dangerous to them. According to the study, the survival rates of melanoma show that 78 percent of men and 91 percent of women are alive five years after diagnosis.
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Eczema reduces skin cancer risk: According to a study, the immune response triggered by eczema could help prevent tumour formation by shedding potentially cancerous cells from the skin, and the researchers believe that modifying an immune response could be a potential therapy for treating cancer.
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Text messages can protect against skin cancer: A study conducted on individuals from the age group of 18-42 showed that information and awareness about prevention of skin cancer and sun protection created via a text message was effective, far-reaching, flexible and individualised. In short, text message intervention is an effective way to create awareness about skin cancer.
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A smartphone app detects skin cancer in a jiffy: A smartphone app called UMSkinCheck has been designed for iOS users which helps scanning the body for any abnormal growth. The app helps the user to compare their own photos taken over a period of time and incase there is a change in the size of any mole or any growth, it can be reported to the doctor.
