By Dr. Cristina Liévana Towers.

The skin is the largest organ of the human body, it has many functions and one of the most important is to be a barrier that protects us from the outside.

The skin, in conjunction with the immune system, preventing viruses and bacteria to enter our body. The lesions on the skin function as a gateway to these viruses and bacteria, for this reason it is very important to avoid them.

Skin care has a critical role to prevent these injuries. Everyone, men and women, we should include in our daily routines the use of moisturizers and sunscreen.

There are many products on the market, but before you buy one, it is very important that you know your skin. Each patient must identify what type of skin you have, and once you know, to buy products that work specifically for their features dermatological.

Another key to skin care is that patients avoid some risk factors:

• Prolonged exposure to the sun.
• Long-term exposure to chemicals, such as chlorine in swimming pools.
• Lack of hydration and lubrication of the skin.

The cancer in the skin

The skin cancers most common are: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Each of them have different biological behaviors, treatments, and prognosis.

Pay special attention to the melanoma, as is the more aggressive and has a higher morbidity in skin cancers. This cancer has an index of recovery high always and when it is diagnosed in time.

The patient has an important role in the early diagnosis. It is very important that you keep aware of any injuries on your skin (moles, spots, bumps, etc); when a lesion is persistent, changes in size or cause you pain you should go to the dermatologist.

Don't be afraid of a diagnosis of skin cancer, when the disease is caught early enough it has positive outcomes for the patient. In the Cancer Center, we have an interdisciplinary team that works collaboratively to provide the best treatments.