With spring officially starting this week, a lot of people are ready to get outside into the sunshine. But I also hear a lot more concern during this time of year about skin cancer. In fact, I received the following letter from Ronald K. in Indianapolis, IN:
“Dr. Shallenberger, what about skin cancer on the forehead — are there any natural remedies?”
Here’s my response to Ronald:
“I’m going to assume that you have a basal cell cancer. These are the most common. And I have a great remedy for them that works incredibly well (and it may work for other skin cancers as well). Basal cell cancers are very responsive to specific topical herbal treatments. The best one goes by various names including Compound X, Cowboy Salve, Black Salve, Healing Time Salve, or Indian Salve.
“All of these herbal preparations are combinations of the herb bloodroot and zinc. The one I use has chaparral in it as well. Unfortunately, you can’t get the one I use anymore. The FDA hates these salves. They’ve made it one of their top priorities to get rid of their manufacturers. Fortunately, there are still some around. But the formulas differ somewhat — though all of them should be effective.
“I bought a one-ounce bottle about 25 years ago, and it is still about 20% full. Since I first bought it in the Bahamas (for about $50), I have removed about 100-150 basal cells. It doesn’t take much, and it works great without any side effects or scarring whatsoever.
“I know you can get the salves over the Internet. There are a lot on the market, and the salves tend to be expensive. I’ve seen some around the same price range, give or take $10, as what I paid 25 years ago. But they last a long time and you can use them to fight many of these cancers. So they are worth the price. Since I’ve used the same one all these years, I can’t advise you as to which one is the best. They all should work, though.”
With spring in the air, it’s time to get out and enjoy the sun. Don’t use sunscreens and don’t get sunburned. They both can cause problems. Spend your time outside carefully. But do get outdoors. The sun is great for your health.
The role of UV light Much of the damage to DNA in skin cells results from ultraviolet (UV) radiation found in sunlight and in commercial tanning lamps and tanning beds. UV light is divided into three wavelength bands: ultraviolet A (UVA), ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet C (UVC). Only UVA and UVB rays reach the earth. UVC radiation is completely absorbed by atmospheric ozone.
At one time scientists believed that only UVB rays played a role in the formation of skin cancer. And UVB light does cause harmful changes in skin cell DNA, including the development of oncogenes — a type of gene that can turn a normal cell into a malignant one. UVB rays are responsible for sunburn and for many basal cell and squamous cell cancers. But UVA also contributes to skin cancer. It penetrates the skin more deeply than UVB does, weakens the skin's immune system and increases the risk of cancer, especially melanoma.
Tanning beds deliver high doses of UVA, which makes them especially dangerous. What's more, occasional exposure to intense UVA puts you at greater risk of skin cancer than spending long hours in the sun does. An initial high dose of UV radiation will severely damage melanocytes, but not destroy them. When these damaged cells are subjected to further intense bouts of UVA light, they have little capacity to repair their DNA. This makes them more likely to become malignant.
