Skin cancer occurs when extra skin cells amass to form a malignant tumor. The two most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell skin cancer and squamous cell skin cancer, which both occur in areas of skin that are exposed to sun such as the face, head, arms and hands. Basal cell skin cancer occurs most commonly on the face and develops gradually. Squamous cell skin cancer not only occurs in places exposed to the sun, but also other parts of the body. While basal cell skin cancer generally does not metastasize, squamous cell skin cancer can spread to the lymph nodes and organs. Risk factors for skin cancer include exposure to UV radiation or arsenic, family history of skin cancer, certain medications or conditions that inhibit the immune system, chronic skin inflammation and others.
Another common, yet more serious, form of skin cancer is Melanoma, which begins in melanocytes (the cells that produce skin pigment). This form of cancer can develop not only in the skin, but also in the eye, lymph nodes, digestive tract, and other parts of the body that contain melanocytes. Risk factors for Melanoma include having fair skin, an excessive number of moles on the body, history of skin cancer, exposure to UV radiation, history of severe sunburns, the presence of abnormal moles called dysplastic nevi and others.
Below you will find alternative and natural treatment options including those from a Chinese Medicine perspective for skin cancer.