Eating for two

Eating for two

The Importance of Skin Checks

Louis Stone

The increase in fatal diseases such as skin cancer in recent years has shed light on an often-sidelined class of medical examination. Skin checks are common in the Australian population, which has one of the world's highest rates of skin cancer. People often find a lot of motivation to undergo skin checks for cancers and other diseases affecting other organs.

The following is an outline of the primary reasons which warrant the prioritization of skin checks.

Melanoma

Melanoma is the most fatal form of skin cancer. Once recognized, melanoma may be treated in its early stages and cured. However, melanoma may advance to other parts of the body and elevate to lethal levels, in which case, it may be difficult to treat.

Internal Cancers

The best example of a sign of an internal cancer is erythema gyratum, which is often interpreted as an indicator of malignancy. Other conditions include carcinoid syndrome, paraneoplastic pemphigus, acanthosis nigricans, sweet syndrome and seborrheic keratoses.

Some of these conditions have complex terminologies, but they manifest themselves as flushing of various skin parts, brown spots or swelling that often signifies malignancy elsewhere in the body.

Gastrointestinal Diseases

The skin shows a variety of gastrointestinal disorders which need to be diagnosed early enough. These include pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema nodosum, bronze diabetes, lichen planus and eruptive xanthomas. A skin check helps the physician in making an early diagnosis of some of these gastrointestinal conditions because the suspicions made on the skin may be used as the basis for running more tests.

Cutaneous Disorders

The most common cutaneous disorders include seborrheic dermatitis, seborrheic keratoses, erythema multiforme, vitiligo, urticaria and erythema nodosum. Cutaneous conditions are the ultimate indicators of systemic diseases that are major threats to human health. A skin check is your best hope of detecting cutaneous disorders and the underlying conditions that result in their occurrence.

Leukemia Cutis

This condition is best described by the variable nodules, papules and plaques on the skin, which come by after leukemic cells attack the skin. A skin check typically determines the presence of such cells and hence leads to the diagnosis of lymphoproliferative and myeloproliferative disorders that had gone by undetected or untreated.

Skin checks could provide helpful insight into the health status of a person and lead to a diagnosis of such conditions as melanoma, internal cancers, gastrointestinal diseases, systemic disorders and leukemia. Most of the Australian population has to access to Medicare or related subsidized hospital services, which are often inclusive of a skin check.


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Eating for two

When you are pregnant it's important not just to eat more than you have been eating previously but also that you are eating the right types of food to make sure that you and the baby stay healthy. Having a healthy diet and not eating the wrong foods can help to keep you feeling comfortable and happy throughout your pregnancy and ensure the best outcomes for you and the baby. This blog has some nutrition advice from parents and health professionals so that you can have a healthy diet throughout you pregnancy journey and includes details on where to get specific advice if you need more help.