The fact that cigarettes contain cancer causing chemicals is not anything new. For years, cancer experts have been advising the public to kick the habit and decrease their cancer risk. The connection between alcohol and cancer, however, is not as well known. Skin cancer is only one of the many cancers that can be caused from smoking and alcohol use.
Actinic cheilitis is a condition that affects the lips. Affected lips become puffy, dry, cracked, or ulcerated and change color, often to bright red or white. It is considered to be a pre-cancerous condition. In six to ten percent of cases, it develops into squamous cell carcinoma. The condition can affect people of all ages, regardless of sex, but typically strikes men over fifty. Risk increases with age. Actinic cheilitis is caused by a lifetime accumulation of UV damage. Smoking, alcohol, and poor oral hygiene are also believed to increase the risk of this condition. Continue reading ‘Cancer Causing Chemicals – How Smoking and Alcohol May Contribute to Skin Cancer’ »