Cancer. The word alone gives me the heebie jeebies. It’s a scary disease that somehow touches all of our lives, especially nowadays when it seems like everything causes this deadly disease.  Yes, we already know that smoking causes cancer; even if you ignore the doctors, it literally says so on the pack. And tanning is pretty stupid too. Fine, we get it.

So don’t smoke and limit sun exposure and you’re okay right?

Ha, I wish.

New studies literally come out every day blaming everyday products for causing the disease. We are constantly being bombarded by contradicting information. Doctors say don’t have too much sugar because its not good for you and dentists say only chew sugar-free gum. Only problem is that most things that are sugar-free have aspartame, which, you know, causes cancer. Ok, so, fine; I’m willing to sacrifice my FAVORITE foods, drinks (bye bye, sugar-free vanilla latte) and my gum addiction if it means preventing some sort of cancerous growth inside of me.

But that’s not enough. It only gets better (or worse).

Studies have shown that there are cancer-causing substances in soap, toothpaste, shampoos, and makeup. So, no food, and no showering, and then I’m okay?

Nope, not yet. Read More »

Moles helped make celebs like Marilyn Monroe and Cindy Crawford famous.  Their moles were sexy little perfectly-shaped beauty marks that everyone wanted to have.  And did by picking up the press-on variety at the neighborhood beauty supply store.

Unfortunately, though, a mole isn’t just another beauty accessory; it can also be the sign of skin cancer.

One of my best friends has been having trouble with her moles for years, constantly getting them removed. After hearing about her latest round of whack-a-mole, I began to panic; I had never even thought to have my moles looked at! What if they were dangerous? What if I only had days left to live?!

Shaking, I dialed my dermatologist and made an appointment to get everything checked out.  And good thing I did! I thought I only had a couple of moles but it turns out I was wrong.  Unbeknownst to me, moles aren’t only the raised brown marks on your skin – they can also look just like freckles.

In fact, moles can be raised, flat, large, small, dark, or light, and you may not even know that you have some.  And all of them – even those moles that have never seen the sun (yes, like that one on your booty) – can be cancerous, so it’s important to get them checked out  by a professional.  My dermatologist recommended that everyone performs a monthly mole self-check. This will not only allow you to discover any new moles that may be popping up, but to follow the ones you already have. When moles start changing in any way, it could be a sign of a problem. Read More »