As summer quickly approaches, many people, especially those living in Las Vegas, begin to pay closer attention to the task of protecting their skin from the sun’s powerful and damaging rays – and rightly so. Skin cancer is so common that one in five North Americans will contract it within their lifetime. Fortunately, 97% of cases are non-melanoma cancers with a high cure rate. However, melanoma-type skin cancers are much more dangerous; 89% of these cases have a survival rate of about five years.
Lipid peroxidation, a prominent feature of skin carcinogenesis is the process by which free radicals steal electrons from the lipids in cell membranes, damaging the cell. This DNA damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays is a major preventable cause of this cancer. It was previously thought that UV-B rays were the primary cause of this cancer, but new research shows UV-A rays to be a similar hazard.
What Type of Rays Are Harmful?
UV-A rays have longer wavelengths than UV-B rays, and sunscreens do not block these mutation-causing rays. UV-A rays penetrate to the bone, destroying vitamin D which protects against skin cancer by regulating DNA response. On the other hand, UV-B rays are responsible for sunburns and the initiation of vitamin D3 synthesis. UV-B rays penetrate the skin and are blocked by sunscreens, but they are not strong carcinogens. Blocking UV-B rays with sunscreen while allowing UV-A rays to pass may explain why sunscreen use has not prevented skin cancer as much as was hoped but has caused wide-spread vitamin D3 deficiency instead.
What Helps Skin Cancer Naturally?
Rather than avoiding the sun completely, gradual sun or ultraviolet exposure would be a prudent course of action in order to develop the protective coloring humans have evolved for survival. In combination with a plant-based diet, this will better mitigate the stress of ultraviolet light while allowing for its benefits. A low-fat diet is also helpful, especially the reduction of processed polyunsaturated fats, like corn oil. Grape-seed extract and curcumin are strongly protective against lipid peroxidation as well.
Sun and other UV damage can be repaired with coenzyme Q10 as well as oral and topical green tea EGCG. In addition, antioxidants mixed with curcumin are powerful skin protectants that work from the inside. Skin cancer repair cream ingredients that reverse skin degeneration and sun damage include rose-hip oil, vitamin C, vitamin E, MSM, grape-seed extract, vitamin A, vitamin D3, and green tea and pomegranate extracts. The best formulation currently on the market is NASOBIH Nutra-Cream which is available at Renaissance Health Centre. Please call us at tel:(702) 258-7860, or visit the pharmacy to start repairing your skin today. Terry Pfau DO HMD