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Tag: skin cancer
Should We Expect Changes To Our Healthcare In 2022?

Should We Expect Changes To Our Healthcare In 2022?

Health matters continue to be an important factor for Americans, especially after the chaos and serious problems COVID-19 has caused since 2020. The pandemic made many people a lot more aware of their health, and how important it is to know what's really going on in the healthcare sector.

Maintaining good health is essential, such as the dental checkups you should get every six months for the prevention of cavities and other dental problems. As the healthcare sector grows and makes better technology more available, these checkups might become more regular for every American.

Improvement in the sector could ensure that more people make their health a priority, which is good since about 31 million injuries needing medical attention occur every year in the country, but not everyone is willing to risk the bill of visiting their doctor or nearest hospital.

COVID-19 As 2022 Progresses

The COVID-19 pandemic will likely start to get better as we get deeper into 2022, and it is expected that deaths in the United States will fall by about 80 percent. Although the virus won't be gone, it will be less fatal and life can return to some resemblance of normal again. It is thanks to effective vaccines and booster programs, sufficient supplies, and strict employer mandates that this virus will soon become something a lot more manageable than it was just a few months ago.

However, there will still be people who remain susceptible, and the virus will likely continue to mutate. Still, the virus will become more difficult to spread, and humanity will just accept being a lot more serious about their health as their new normal.


The Fight For Abortion Access Continues

Abortion continues to be a very controversial topic in the U.S. While many people want to get rid of abortion completely, others feel women should have the freedom to choose. In 2021, abortions after six weeks were banned in Texas, which caused many people to voice that the bill is inhumane and goes against women's rights.

Many doctors continue to fight for the right to allow women access to safe abortions as well as accurate information. Mail-in medical abortions have become more accessible, and many startups focused on this matter will continue to grow wherever possible.


A Spotlight Is Placed On Menopause

Sadly, despite the many health advancements and medical breakthroughs we've had over the years, there is still a lot of stigma that clings to menopause. Fortunately, there are medical professionals determined to do something about this matter.

This year, it is hoped that shame can be taken out of discussions of menopause, so more women will realize it's normal and nothing that they should try to hide. There are also various healthy medicines available that women should become aware of — they don't need to endure hot flashes, pain, and mood swings.


The End Of The DNA Sequencing Monopoly?

For the longest time, DNA sequencing has been something that Illumina practically had a monopoly over. There was no one to act as the company's competition, so they just claimed 80 percent of the market share globally.

That is expected to change in 2022 and the years ahead, with many new medical startups coming forward to take their share of the market. This is a good thing because competition ensures that companies will work hard to continue ground-breaking research.


Healthcare Needs To Change

It is essential that the way we look at our health and the healthcare sector continues to change. The use of improved technologies, disregard of unnecessary stigmas, and more affordable healthcare are important for the future of America. Since one in five Americans will get skin cancer before they turn 70, medical care that is advanced and affordable, making it more available to everyone, is of the utmost importance.

What You Need To Know About Sunscreen

What You Need To Know About Sunscreen

Summer has arrived, and with it, gorgeous sunny days. As crowds gather outside to welcome the warmer weather, everyone starts slathering on a summer staple: sunscreen.

But not all sunscreens are created equal. According to The Environmental Working Group, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that studies human and environmental health, sunscreen is not nearly as effective as most Americans believe it is — and this is contributing to increasing skin cancer rates.

Sunscreen ingredients and labeling are also not severely regulated in the United States and Europe, which leads to confused customers buying ineffective and possibly harmful sunscreens.

The best thing you can do is get informed. Here are some red flags to look for:

1. High SPF

SPF is short for sun protection factor, and some people just can’t get enough of it. It’s easy to find sunscreens with an SPF of 70, 85, or even 100, but the Food and Drug Administration has attempted to ban SPF values that high, due to increased health risks.

Studies have shown that sunscreens with high SPFs are more prone to misuse and often include ingredients that can damage tissue or trigger allergic reactions. No need to reach that high anyway: an SPF of 50 provides plenty of protection when used correctly.

2. Added Vitamin A

Though additional vitamins may sound like a great thing, common additives used to boost the efficacy of Vitamin A in sunscreens have been shown to actually accelerate the growth of skin cancers. Avoid ingredients such as retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, and retinyl linoleate.

3. Avoid Aerosols

The FDA has cautioned against using spray-on sunscreens for several reasons.

First, aerosol sunscreens are difficult to apply sufficiently, leading to thin coverage and increasing the risk for skin damage.

Spray-on sunscreens are also easily inhaled, exposing the lungs to a variety of chemicals can damage tissue, especially in children.

Plus, aerosols are highly flammable. And the idea, you’ll recall, is to avoid getting burned.

All in all, the best way to protect skin in bright summer weather is to limit sun exposure. Sunglasses, hats, and cover-ups are the most foolproof ways to avoid sun damage and painful burns. Wear plenty of sunscreen with an SPF between 15 and 50, and make sure to reapply every two hours.

For more information, check out these resource pages from the FDA and CDC.

Photo: Sacha Fernandez via Flickr

This Week In Health: Bionic Limbs Are Here

This Week In Health: Bionic Limbs Are Here

“This Week In Health” offers some highlights from the world of health and wellness that you may have missed this week:

  • Fighting fire with fire? There’s been a promising development for treating skin cancer in virotherapy, in which viruses are reprogrammed to attack diseases. Researchers have had early success using a modified form of the herpes virus to treat skin cancer, even when the cancerous cells have spread throughout the body.
  • Obesity rates continue to soar across the country. According to a new survey, it may not simply be a matter of mitigating weight with diet and exercise. Obesity seems to be tied to larger issues, as the survey indicated high correlations between being overweight and a poor sense of well-being in other factors, including purpose, social, financial, community and physical.
  • No longer the stuff of science fiction, brain-controlled bionic limbs are not some near-future promise — they are already here. The hardware, which receives wirelessly transmitted signals from the brain, has already been introduced on a limited scale, and it’s only a matter of time.
  • An American traveling from Liberia to New Jersey died of what was later confirmed to be Lassa Fever, a viral hemorrhagic similar to Ebola, but not as deadly or contagious. It does not pose a major public risk, experts say.

Image from Mad Max: Fury Road

Skin Cancer: Not Just A Summer Thing

Skin Cancer: Not Just A Summer Thing

Summer is ending and with it those long, lazy weekend days at the beach or, pool, getting in some extra hours of cycling, running, and walking, or just hanging out on a lawn chair with friends and some cold drinks.  The sun is strong and hot and oh so relaxing. It’s just the thing you need to unwind from the work week. It’s so comforting in fact that most of us forget that in those rays lurks serious danger, even death. Haven’t figured out where we’re going with this yet?  Skin cancer!  And don’t think it’s something you only have to worry about in the summer. The sun is with us 365 days a year, and even though the weather may be cold in your part of the country, wherever the sun shines, skin cancer is a risk.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, there are three main types of skin cancer, all with somewhat similar sets of symptoms. And skin cancer, or more accurately cancers, can happen to anyone, at any age, and of any skin color.

Some 2.8 million Americans a year are diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma or BCC, the most common form of skin cancer. So called because it occurs in the basal cells of the skin – the inner part of the skin’s outer layer (epidermis), BCC often looks like a sore that doesn’t heal, a patch of pink or red, or a shiny bump.  Though it rarely spreads beyond the original tumor site, and therefore is rarely life-threatening, BCC can be disfiguring if left untreated. The most frequent cause is the sun’s UV (ultra-violet) radiation, and what you need to know is that you are at risk whether you routinely spend time baking in the sun or you just subject yourself to infrequent intense bursts.

In addition to basal cells, the skin’s epidermis has many layers of squamous cells, and these can be the location of squamous cell carcinoma or SCC.  Like BCC, their initial symptoms can be a sore that doesn’t heal, a patch of pink or red, or a shiny bump, that’s where the similarity ends.

Caused mainly by cumulative, as opposed to short-term exposure to the sun’s UV radiation, if left untreated SCC can be disfiguring and can even kill you if it spreads to other organs (yes the skin is an organ). The Skin Cancer Foundation estimates that 700,000 people are diagnosed with SCC each year, and of those some 2,500 cases result in death. What’s more, although they occur mostly on areas of the body that get frequent sun exposure (arms, legs, face, ears, lips, torso, feet), they can crop up in the mucous membranes and the genitals.

Of the three most common forms of skin cancer melanoma is the most dangerous. Melanoma develops when skin- cell mutations (defects in a cell’s genetic material) are generated by damaged DNA – damage such as that caused by UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds. The result is rapid and uncontrolled growth in the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) of the epidermis. Melanomas often resemble moles, and some even develop from moles. Their color ranges from black or brown (the majority) to pretty much anything –  skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white. Again, UV radiation is the cause, and those with a family history are at higher risk. Caught and treated early on, it’s usually curable, but note that the US death rate from Melanoma is nearly 10,000 per year.

Obviously the best way to treat skin cancer is to prevent it.  Check out the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Prevention Guide for helpful tips. Your life may depend on it.

Photo: cancer.gov