Your so Bald I can see what your thinking…

Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer.   However, if it is recognized and treated early, it is nearly 100 percent curable.  But if it is not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal.   While it is not the most common of the skin cancers, it causes the most deaths.  The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2007, there will be 8,110 fatalities, 5,220 in men and 2,800 in women in the U.S. The number of new cases of melanoma is estimated at 59,940; of these, 33,910 will be in men and 26,030 in women. 

Melanoma is a malignant tumor that originates in melanocytes, the cells which produce the pigment melanin that colors our skin, hair, and eyes. The majority of melanomas are black or brown. However, some melanomas are skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue or white.

Am I at Risk?

Everyone is at some risk for melanoma, but increased risk depends on several factors: sun exposure, number of moles on the skin, skin type and family history (genetics). 

• Sun exposure

  Both UVA and UVB rays are dangerous to the skin, and can induce skin cancer, including melanoma. Blistering sunburns in early childhood increase risk, but cumulative exposure also is a factor. People who live in locations that get more sunlight — like Florida, Hawaii, and Australia — get more skin cancer. Avoid using a tanning booth or tanning bed, since it increases your exposure to UV rays,  increasing your risk of developing melanoma and other skin cancers.

• Moles

  There are two kinds of moles: normal moles — the small brown blemishes, growths, or "beauty marks" that appear in the first few decades of life in almost everyone — and atypical moles, also known as dysplastic nevi.  Regardless of type, the more moles you have, the greater your risk for melanoma.

• Skin Type

  As with all skin cancers, people with fairer skin are at increased risk.  You can read more about skin type and risk here.

• Family History

  About one in every ten patients diagnosed with the disease has a family member with a history of melanoma. If your mother, father, siblings or children have had a melanoma, you are in a melanoma-prone family.  Each person with a first-degree relative diagnosed with melanoma has a 50 percent greater chance of developing the disease than people who do not have a family history.  If the cancer occurred in a grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, niece or nephew, there is still an increase in risk, although it is not as great. Read more on family history, below.

• Personal History

  Once you have had melanoma, you run an increased chance of recurrence. Also, people who have or had basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are at increased risk for developing melanoma.

• Weakened Immune System

  Compromised immune systems as the result of chemotherapy, an organ transplant, excessive sun exposure, and diseases such as HIV/AIDS or lymphoma can increase your risk of melanoma.

If you are in any of these risk groups, you can protect yourself and your children by practicing safe sun habits, remembering to examine yourself regularly, watching for the warning signs and getting yearly exams by a dermatologist or other physician experienced in skin care.

Learn more at http://www.skincancer.org

Shaving your head is not really very hard, but it can be a little intimidating the first time. For the first-time shaver, here are the steps required to turn your hairy head into a smooth scalp.

First off, your hair has to be trimmed down to stubble. Anything longer makes for a difficult shave.You can have a barber trim it down to stubble, or do it yourself with a set of hair clippers. It doesn't have to be cut perfectly evenly, but try to get is as short as possible.

• When you're ready to start shaving, get your head as wet as possible.
• If you shave after a shower, your hair should be softer and easier to cut.Being wet and soft reduces the chance that you'll suffer from razor bumps or ingrown hairs.

Apply a shaving lubricant and get it worked in as well as possible.
This is an important step. The better your lubricant is worked in, the better your shave. It can make a big difference both to closeness and to comfort, so don't neglect this simple part of your routine.
Personally, I recommend a good shaving oil (if you can get it) or a good shaving gel.
Start shaving!

• Shave hair that is softer or lighter first. Shave areas that have coarser or stiffer hair last (like the back of the head). This gives the shaving cream more time to soften coarse hair and provides a much more comfortable shave.
• Use slow, even strokes, and don't rush things.
• Shaving against the grain produces the closest results. Shaving with the grain produces the least irritation. The direction you take will depend on how sensitive your skin is, and how close a shave you want.
• For the least irritation and smallest chance of nicking yourself, pass over each area of your scalp only once. You can shave over the same area more than once if you feel the need to shave closer, but each pass may increase the irritation you experience.

When you're done, clean it up and perform your post-shave routine.

• If you prepare for shaving properly, there shouldn't be much irritation, and you probably won't need aftershave. I usually just wash my head with soap and water and towel off again.
• If you do experience irritation, use a good aftershave lotion or skin care lotion. The most important thing about any aftershave product is that it should soothe your skin and help it heal. Aftershave products or skin care lotions that contain Aloe Vera or Vitamin E will help. Avoid aftershaves that contain alcohol. Alcohol dries out the skin, and this is the last thing you need after shaving.

If you have coarse or curly hair, you should take extra care while shaving, because you are more likely to get razor bumps or ingrown hair. Shave with the grain and don't make more than two passes over the same area, and be sure your hair is very wet when you start shaving.

I just can't understand why bald guys have to pay full price for a hair cut that takes no skill and is finished in under 2 minutes.