The skin is one of the most important organs that make up the human body.

It protects us from
outside environmental threats such as pathogens and allows temperature regulation as well as water
retention. External stimulation is made possible thanks to the many nerve endings found in the dermis,
and thanks to the millions of sweat glands that cover it, the skin helps us to cool down when things start
to heat up. The skin is made up of three primary layers: the epidermis which is the outer layer
comprised of a network of overlapping cells called keratinocytes which grow upward from a basement
layer and acts as the first line of defense against external factors. The dermis resides directly below the
epidermis and is made up of an extracellular matrix which provides strength and elasticity to the skin.
Blood vessels, hair follicles, and nerves primarily run through this layer. Lastly the hypodermis is below
the dermis and helps the two structures above attack to bone and tissue below.

Although the skin is a tough barrier to the outside world, it is not immune to diseases which
hinder its function such as cancer. Skin cancer, like all cancers, is a mutation of the DNA inside cells that
causes them to undergo uncontrolled division. There are three main types of skin cancer and they are all
primarily caused by UV radiation from the sun. The first, basal cell carcinoma, originates from the lowest
layer of the epidermis and usually isn’t fatal. It can be treated with surgery or chemotherapy. The
second type of cancer is squamous cell carcinoma. This originates in the middle layer of the skin and
presents as a red thickened patch. These usually occur on areas of the skin exposed to lots of sunlight
such as the head, neck, and arms. The last type of cancer known as malignant melanoma is a mutation
of the melanocyte cell which produces pigmentation. It is the least common occurring of all 3 cancers
but is the most deadly because of its tendency to metastasize.

If caught early, skin cancer has a very high success rate for treatment. Surgery and
chemotherapy are very effective in treating non metastasized cases. The key to prevention is being able
to discern everyday bumps and sores from more serious threats. It is hard for someone to know exactly
if something such as a mole or slight sunburn is cancerous or not, and most people feel that they don’t
have time to worry themselves with every little blemish that pops up. To be on the safe side people
should avoid being in the sun for long periods of time and stay away from tanning beds altogether.
However with the increasing luminosity of the sun every year we will start to see more and more cases
of skin cancer. It is interesting that the sun can so easily destroy life by the same means it creates it.