Most people know that sun exposure is a risk factor for skin cancer, but did you know how important those times you spent on the beach as a toddler were? Did you have sunscreen on then? Did you know that certain drugs and disease can increase your risk for getting skin cancer? Find out more about your risks of getting skin cancer.

A new study presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's (SNM) 56th Annual Meeting showed that a radioactive skin patch can treat basal cell carcinoma safely. The patch contains radioactive phosphorus-32 and it was tested in 8 people who had basal cell carcinoma on the face. Normally a skin cancer like this would be treated with surgery or radiation. Both could be potentially disfiguring depending on the extent and location of the cancer.

Instead of the usual options, these patients chose to try sealed patches that were custom-made according to the size and shape of their particular skin cancer. The patches were applied 3 hours a day for 3 days. Three months later biopsies of the skin cancer sites showed no cancer.

According to the researchers, phosphorus-32 has a limited range that keeps it from affecting the underlying bone and blood vessels so it does not cause any toxicity to the rest of the body. Blood and other tests confirmed this in these 8 patients.

I think this is a very exciting discovery for many reasons. Not only could this save people with basal cell carcinomas from disfiguring surgery, it also potentially opens the door to treating other skin cancers with minimal fuss.

I don't know of anybody who doesn't want healthy skin, but how do you know when you have it? Sometimes it seems that judging skin health is almost "in the eye of the beholder." Or like good art, you know it when you see it.

In the past there weren't many medical studies that gave objective criteria on what makes skin appear healthy. However, lately, this has been a fairly hot topic, and now we have some good studies that reveal specific healthy skin characteristics.

Any idea what they are?

Researchers from Hallym University in the Republic of Korea presented the results of a study at the Experimental Biology 2009 meeting in New Orleans. In this study applying a topical concoction made from ellagic acid prevented the major causes of wrinkles after exposure to UV radiation.

Ellagic acid is an antioxidant found in many different fruits, vegetables, and nuts like raspberries, cranberries, and pomegranates. The researchers found that this antioxidant prevented the inflammatory response and destruction of collagen that lead to the formation of wrinkles.