Home remedies for skin cancer?

Skin cancer, one of the most common and easily treated cancers (except for melanoma) has a budding list of alternative treatments.

by Becky Coffield — 

Increasingly, cancer sufferers are resorting to alternative therapies for treatment. The “cut, burn, poison” system espoused by many medical practitioners is not the first choice protocol for a growing number of people.

Skin cancer, one of the most common and easily treated cancers (except for melanoma) has a budding list of alternative treatments. Long blamed on overexposure to the sun, some scientists are beginning to postulate that skin cancer may actually result from many other causes including sun block ointments themselves, along with creams, sprays, lotions and other toxins that may come into repeated contact with the skin. Another theory suggests that skin cancer is simply an opportunistic cancer and erupts when one’s immune system becomes compromised.

Alternative cures for skin cancer run the gamut. Many popular home remedies involve using plain old baking soda, usually in conjunction with vitamin E oil, CoQ10 liquid or hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda, it turns out, is now being used as an alternative treatment for many cancers, particularly by those doctors who adhere to the theory that cancer is primarily a fungus or caused by a fungus.

Entire books have been written about hydrogen peroxide as a treatment for cancer, acne, gum disease, et al. Hydrogen peroxide should only be used sparingly, however, until one is certain of its application and possible side effects.

Other alternative cures for skin cancer involve herbal concoctions. Some of these concoctions should be used with extreme caution, if at all — such as bloodroot, also called black salve. Another natural remedy which is garnering more and more attention is chaparral, also known as creosote and greasewood. This bush grows with wild abandon throughout the southwest and was used by Indians for a variety of ailments.

Making a tincture out of chaparral to use on skin cancer is quite simple. The tincture can be applied to the cancer twice daily. The tincture does not harm surrounding skin, should any get on it.

To make the tincture, collect enough leaves with stems from the tips of the chaparral plant to fill a clean pint jar. Next, fill the jar with a quality vodka, cap it and let it sit for a month. When ready to use, remove some of the liquid from the pint jar and put it into a dark, tincture-style bottle with a dropper. Dip a cotton swab into the mixture and gently rub it onto the area. Do this twice daily until the cancer spot is gone.

Whether to use an alternative therapy for skin cancer is fiercely debatable and certainly controversial, yet many people are dissatisfied with the expensive, toxic creams and ointments prescribed for what are usually very slow-growing, non-life threatening cancers.

It is imperative that one do extensive research on these alternative cures, however, before embarking on unscientifically tested treatments. The location and size of the cancer are items to seriously consider. Since many skin cancers appear on the face, it is imperative that one take the time to read and evaluate an alternative treatment. Despite glowing testimonials advocating various alternatives, should an alternative treatment not work, one could face extensive facial surgery if the cancer gets out of control.

Becky Coffield is a freelance writer and the author of several award-winning books. www.moonlightmesaassociates.com and www.rlcoffield.com.

Reprinted from AzNetNews, Volume 29, Number 3, June 2010.