Relationships in trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relationships in trade - Essay Example Since there is no direct governmental intervention, it would permit trading partners attain mutual gains from exchanging goods and services. As it has been defined by International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), â€Å"fair trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, especially in the south†. (www.wfto.com). Fair trade is of protectionist view which maintains a ‘people first’ policy and is backed by consumers through various non-profit organizations. Fair trade looks forward to achieve better justice in international trade by initiating reasonable changes in the current trade regulations. Its trading practices are entirely different from that of the conventional mode of trade. For instance, fair trade system works on the voluntary participation of producers, consumers, and companies based on a set of mutually accepted standards (Fair Trade Catholic Relief Services). On the other hand, the most important focus of the free trade is profit which usually goes to corporate giants. Hence, in order to create competitive advantages free trade firms seek alternatives for reducing the operation costs by moving from one region to other cost-effective locations. Unlike free trade, fair trade organizations maintain maximum direct relationship with the producers perhaps by giving them free or low interest credit (ibid). The common goods exchanged through fair trade include coffee, chocolate, clothing, and jewelry. Both fair trade and free trade have their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the major benefits of the fair trade is that it promotes eco-friendly farming practices and helps farmers and artisans gain opportunities for building their own business skills. Obviously the notable benefit of the free trade is that it allows us both

DFS Presentation Assignment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

DFS Presentation Assignment - Case Study Example Increased competition, operative costs, overhead, and the need for augmented efficiency in operations make the need for DFS to adopt lean supply chain. DFS can make its supply chain agiler and lean through: †¢ Collaboration with suppliers and customers of DFS to get instant demand and supply information for efficient response to demand changes is one way of making DFS supply chain agile and lean †¢ Reducing all the processes and operations at DFS that have no added value to the consumer (Sople, 2011, 115) †¢ Reducing lead time for raw materials and components is the other manner of implementing lean supply chain (Sople, 2011, 115) †¢ Documenting all the supply chain processes and standardizing them will also allow DFS manage a lean and agile supply chain †¢ Collection of up to date information allows management to make supply decisions that efficiently and effectively meet demand †¢ Providing workers with information on high-quality requirement at the business will ensure more client satisfaction and meet the needs of an agile and lean supply chain for high-quality products †¢ Information can also guide DFS in setting up new distribution centers in areas near customer locations to allow for more responsiveness to changing consumer needs within a short period of time †¢ Use of the internet to easily receive and collect demand information and dispatch supplies to the consumers

Adultery and inappropriate relationships among the ranks in the Army Research Paper

Adultery and inappropriate relationships among the ranks in the Army - Research Paper Example Female and male veterans are reported to confirm reports of rampant sexual trauma during their service in the military. The military has been reluctant to take action against these allegations. Military officials are said to have received over 3000 reports on sexual assault in the year 2011. However, reports indicate that only 191 cases have successfully been convicted in the court-martial. This has encouraged the outrageous behavior in the military circles. No wonder, the majority sexual predators are repeat offenders. Sexual assailants in the military are said to be unaware of the impact of their actions to the lives of the victims. This essay seeks to explore the issue of adultery and inappropriate relationships among ranks in the military. Many people believe that sexual ethics in the military fall under personal choices and should never be governed by the military. Research shows that most people believe that extramarital affairs should not be punishable in the military. A poll indicated that 49 percent of Americans believe that adultery should be allowed in the military. The argument in based on the fact that adultery is a personal choice regardless to whether it is right or wrong. Most of the people who back adultery in the military use the natural law theory (Mitchell, 1998). The argument suggests that the essence of having sexual urges is to explore sexual relationships with multiple partners (Brinson, 2008). The natural law suggests that it is natural to fulfill the sexual urges and desires. Multiple cases have been reported dealing with cases of immorality in the military. Army major John Lonhouser, Air force General Joseph Ralston and General David Petraus are representative of what is happening in the top ranks of the United States military. The junior ranking troops imagine that the drill sergeants live in an insular world. The junior officers believe the word from their commanders is final. As a result, they suffer from rape and sexual assaults w hile serving in the United States military. Most of these troops suffer retaliation after reporting these cases (Brinson, 2008). Sexual assaults have resulted to demoralization of the United States military, especially those who have fallen victims. The military is expected to be a moral leader in the United States. Research indicates that there is a culture of condoning military adultery and improper sexual relationships in the units of the United States army. However, the rules tend to be different for the generals (Mitchell, 1998). According research, consensual sex seems to be widely tolerated in the United States army. The media seems to put top generals into limelight. However, the military structures, culture and attitude is accustomed to sexual offences (Valente & Wight). Soldiers are known to work in extreme conditions (Brinson, 2008). They spend most long period of time away from their families. This has been attributed to the multiple cases of adultery in improper relatio nships among the ranks in the army. The department of defense has conducted large-scale surveys with regard to adultery and improper relationships in the coast guards, Marine Corps, navy army and air force active-duty personnel (Mitchell, 1998). Research confirms the women and men experience gender-related discrimination which has been in the rise in the last one decade. For long, sexual harassment had been termed as a problem facing the military women. However, men are increasingly becoming targets of improper relationships at an alarming rate. The military culture and gender based imbalances while on active duty have been cited as some of the causes of adultery and improper relationships among the military personnel. The military environment provides the sexual offenders

Relationships in trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Relationships in trade - Essay Example Since there is no direct governmental intervention, it would permit trading partners attain mutual gains from exchanging goods and services. As it has been defined by International Fair Trade Association (IFAT), â€Å"fair trade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect that seeks greater equity in international trade. It contributes to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to and securing the rights of, marginalized producers and workers, especially in the south†. (www.wfto.com). Fair trade is of protectionist view which maintains a ‘people first’ policy and is backed by consumers through various non-profit organizations. Fair trade looks forward to achieve better justice in international trade by initiating reasonable changes in the current trade regulations. Its trading practices are entirely different from that of the conventional mode of trade. For instance, fair trade system works on the voluntary participation of producers, consumers, and companies based on a set of mutually accepted standards (Fair Trade Catholic Relief Services). On the other hand, the most important focus of the free trade is profit which usually goes to corporate giants. Hence, in order to create competitive advantages free trade firms seek alternatives for reducing the operation costs by moving from one region to other cost-effective locations. Unlike free trade, fair trade organizations maintain maximum direct relationship with the producers perhaps by giving them free or low interest credit (ibid). The common goods exchanged through fair trade include coffee, chocolate, clothing, and jewelry. Both fair trade and free trade have their own advantages and disadvantages. One of the major benefits of the fair trade is that it promotes eco-friendly farming practices and helps farmers and artisans gain opportunities for building their own business skills. Obviously the notable benefit of the free trade is that it allows us both

Adultery and inappropriate relationships among the ranks in the Army Research Paper

Adultery and inappropriate relationships among the ranks in the Army - Research Paper Example Female and male veterans are reported to confirm reports of rampant sexual trauma during their service in the military. The military has been reluctant to take action against these allegations. Military officials are said to have received over 3000 reports on sexual assault in the year 2011. However, reports indicate that only 191 cases have successfully been convicted in the court-martial. This has encouraged the outrageous behavior in the military circles. No wonder, the majority sexual predators are repeat offenders. Sexual assailants in the military are said to be unaware of the impact of their actions to the lives of the victims. This essay seeks to explore the issue of adultery and inappropriate relationships among ranks in the military. Many people believe that sexual ethics in the military fall under personal choices and should never be governed by the military. Research shows that most people believe that extramarital affairs should not be punishable in the military. A poll indicated that 49 percent of Americans believe that adultery should be allowed in the military. The argument in based on the fact that adultery is a personal choice regardless to whether it is right or wrong. Most of the people who back adultery in the military use the natural law theory (Mitchell, 1998). The argument suggests that the essence of having sexual urges is to explore sexual relationships with multiple partners (Brinson, 2008). The natural law suggests that it is natural to fulfill the sexual urges and desires. Multiple cases have been reported dealing with cases of immorality in the military. Army major John Lonhouser, Air force General Joseph Ralston and General David Petraus are representative of what is happening in the top ranks of the United States military. The junior ranking troops imagine that the drill sergeants live in an insular world. The junior officers believe the word from their commanders is final. As a result, they suffer from rape and sexual assaults w hile serving in the United States military. Most of these troops suffer retaliation after reporting these cases (Brinson, 2008). Sexual assaults have resulted to demoralization of the United States military, especially those who have fallen victims. The military is expected to be a moral leader in the United States. Research indicates that there is a culture of condoning military adultery and improper sexual relationships in the units of the United States army. However, the rules tend to be different for the generals (Mitchell, 1998). According research, consensual sex seems to be widely tolerated in the United States army. The media seems to put top generals into limelight. However, the military structures, culture and attitude is accustomed to sexual offences (Valente & Wight). Soldiers are known to work in extreme conditions (Brinson, 2008). They spend most long period of time away from their families. This has been attributed to the multiple cases of adultery in improper relatio nships among the ranks in the army. The department of defense has conducted large-scale surveys with regard to adultery and improper relationships in the coast guards, Marine Corps, navy army and air force active-duty personnel (Mitchell, 1998). Research confirms the women and men experience gender-related discrimination which has been in the rise in the last one decade. For long, sexual harassment had been termed as a problem facing the military women. However, men are increasingly becoming targets of improper relationships at an alarming rate. The military culture and gender based imbalances while on active duty have been cited as some of the causes of adultery and improper relationships among the military personnel. The military environment provides the sexual offenders

Convenience and Future of ATMs in my Community Essay Example for Free

Convenience and Future of ATMs in my Community Essay Automatic Teller Machines (ATM) have made our life easy and convenient in many ways. With more and more ATMs being installed from street corners to local retails, from outside the bank to shopping malls, they are hard to miss. Gone are they days when we need to stand in line inside banks waiting to be served by tellers? Transaction now processed with just the click of a few buttons. History and Development Luther George Simjian, in 1939, had the first idea to place an ATM in banks (Bellis, n. d. ). He was to place them in holes so that bank clients can make their transaction through the window. This was first tested in New Yorks First National City Bank now Citicorp but was later rejected due to the lack of demand of customers (Bellis, n. d. ). The first truly cash-dispensing machine was created by John Shepherd-Barron from De La Rue Instruments called De La Rue Automatic Cash System, or DACS (International Merchant Services, n. d. ). They were checks bought in advance from tellers and was impregnated with Carbon 14 in order for the machines to detect them (Bellis, n. d. ). It was installed and placed in Barclays bank in London (International Merchant Services, n. d. ). In 1969, the first magnetic card was introduced. It was created by Don Wetzel who was working with Docutel. He had the patent along with Tom Barnes and George Chastain. It was installed in a New York based Chemical Bank (Bellis, n. d. ). Later, Docutel developed the first truly ATM machine that we are familiar today. It was placed in the wall and outside the bank. However, the first ATMs did not directly accessed your personal account when withdrawing money from it. Instead, they were initially offered to the banks credit card holders with good credit standings (Bellis, n. d. ). They were only cash advancements from the clients credit card rather than debiting them directly from the account. It was far from what we know of today where ATMs can do almost everything an ordinary teller can do such as deposits, transfers money from checking to savings, cash advances to your credit card and takes payments. How ATMs Work ATM works by providing users and clients with a remote access with their bank accounts. These machines are connected to the bank accounts through internet connection to the banks database where it has information on the amount of money in the account (Bowen, 2000). The magnetic part of the card stores information of the user such as account number and the pass code. Once the user has entered the correct code it will verify it to the users bank and will send out verification on the transaction that has to be made. The card then dispenses the money using an electronic eye and detector to determine the bills that are sent out. The sensor detects if there are stuck or worn out bills and places them in the discard tray and issues the user the required transactions (Bowen, 2000). Once the transactions are made, they are logged in the machines journal in case the client has disputes on the transactions. Growth of the ATM The popularity of the ATM is undisputed today. The number of ATMs installed today shows its success and effectiveness on both the banks and their clients. Banks have embraced this technology because of three reasons (Islam, Sheel, Biswas, n. d. ). First, banks improve their financial, marketing and competitive positions by attracting clients and increasing their revenue by increasing their services such as loans and financial packages (Islam, et. al. , n. d. ). ATMs provided human resources with more time to process request that ATMs cannot process, thus, it increased the efficiency of tellers providing better services to their clients increasing the income of banks. Further, customers are now looking for banks with more access to ATMs for their convenience and accessibility. Second, ATMs can perform many of the tasks than tellers do and in the long run they are easier to maintain and cost considerably less than their human counterparts (Islam, et. al. , n. d. ). Installing ATMs reduces the work load of tellers. The increase in number of clients for a bank means that they would need more resources to cater to their customers. ATM machines are more efficient for they need no training and less maintenance (Islam, et. al. , n. d. ). Banks realize this cost effective way of providing service and provided more and more machines for their clients (Ferrari, Verboven, Degryse, 2007). Last, ATM machines serve as factors for marketing decisions for financial institutions (Islam, et. al. , n. d. ). Banks would first place ATMs in potential locations for establishing bank branches. They would first see if there are enough clients for them in the area before finally establishing a bank in the area. ATMs today can also provide cash advances from credit cards depending on the allowable limit of the card. Another convenience provided for the users is the added feature of ATM cards. They can now be used as a debit card similar to that of the credit card. However, users must make sure that they have enough cash in their accounts to make similar purchases with that of the credit card. Problems Facing ATMs ATMs, though beneficial for most of its users, has their flaws and problems. They are most of the times reliable but sometimes they do break down and need some maintenance. It is sometimes out of service and needs overhaul and it needs to replenish its cash contents. These are the common problems of ATM machines. First time users of the machine may also find it difficult to use them and may be complex for them. However, this can be learned easily with a few tries at the machine. Others, on the other hand, points out those ATMs dispense only a certain denomination of money. Customers are either to transact lower or higher than what they really need but seldom exactly the cash they wanted. Finally, clients are sometimes frustrated when the machine captures their cards especially if they badly need the cash and they do not have any other ATMs available to them. Personal Application In Scottsbluff, Nebraska, ATM machines are normally situated in local shops within the community. There is also one located inside my local bank that has my account. Locations where there are many people passing by also have ATM machines installed within the area. This provides convenience and accessibility for users who need cash. Further, people who have no private cars can easily access these machines and do their transactions without the going to the bank. Further, they are easier to install than constructing new bank branches. Personally, ATMs have its own advantages and disadvantages. The most beneficial would be convenience and accessibility. People do not need to do their transaction within the bank or during banking hours. They can even do it during the night or even in another state. ATMs in the shopping mall have a business value for the mall other than having people to just withdraw cash from the machine. If users withdraw money in the mall, they are likely to spend some of it in the same mall. Citizens of Scottsbluff are also most likely to spend a portion of their money in the Newsagents, chip shop, hairdressers and the two public houses. These places have ATM machines located near them. However, there are some disadvantages. Some ATMs have surcharges if you are using a machine from a different bank other than yours. People using these machines 2-3 times per week, can have surcharges that may have a sizable amount. But this is still very minimal compared to the benefits that these machines provide us. Another disadvantage of ATMs in some areas of the community is those that are located inside shops that close early. These machines would have limited access to potential users and are only available only during store hours. Finally, news of scams connected to ATM machines are becoming more common where in criminals can have access to your personal account by using a machine attached to ATMs that records your personal information as well as your account number and pin code. Conclusion The disadvantage of ATMs outweighs the advantages that it gives to its users as well as the banks that provide them. ATMs have come a long way from its beginnings. Today, it is no longer just used for simple cash dispersing but also includes a wide variety of uses including payment of bill, ATM debiting and cash advances from credit cards. Without these machines, banks would have not been as efficient as they are today and people would have not ripped the benefits of this technology. References Bellis, M. (n.d.). The history of automatic teller machines or ATM. Retrieved January 29, 2009, from http://Inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/atm.htm Bowen, J. (2000, April 1). Howstuffworks How ATMs work. Retrieved January 29, 2009, from http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/banking/atm3.htm Ferrari, Stijn. Verboven, Frank. Degryse, Hans. (2007, November). Investment and usage of new technologies: Evidence from a shared ATM network. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1075042 Timeline The ATM history. (n.d.). Retrieved February 6, 2009, from http://www.atm24.com/NewsSection/Industry%20News/Timeline%20-%20The%20ATM%20History.aspx. Islam, Rafiqul. Sheel, Samir Kumar. Biswas, Pallab Kumar. (n.d.). Customer satisfaction of ATM service: A case study of HSBC ATM. Retrieved January 30, 2009, from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=990242

Pathophysiology of Skin Alterations

Pathophysiology of Skin Alterations Skin Alterations Beverly Phelps Abstract Human skin is the largest multifunctional organ of the body, and knowledge of its structure and function is essential to clinicians and researchers. The skin has two layers, the epidermis and dermis, separated by a basement membrane zone. It provides protection, sensation, thermoregulation, biochemical/metabolic, and immune functions. Key and emerging concepts important to understanding pathophysiological mechanisms for practicing clinicians are: knowledge of differences between acute and chronic wounds; ability to evaluate depth and extent of injury; and understanding stages of healing versus zones of activity. Discussion: Explain pathophysiology of broad categories of skin alterations (e.g., minor, traumatic, burns, benign, parasitic, pressure ulcers, cancerous, infectious, and inflammatory). Also discuss causative agents, assessment data (what it looks like, pathophysiological changes, and presenting symptoms). Skin Alterations This paper will cover minor wounds, burns, pressure injury, and cancer with variations in skin color, as well as the causative agents and assessment data. Minor Wounds Minor skin wounds occur as the result of unanticipated trauma and may include lacerations, abrasions, blisters and more serious wounds such as skin tears and bites. Lacerations are often irregular shaped wounds with ragged skin edges and typically have deeper skin damage and bruising noted. Abrasions are known as grazes and are more superficial wounds in which the top layer of the skin is remove by sliding across a rough surface and usually contains some dirt and sometimes even particles of what scraped it. Blisters are the result of friction of between the top two layers of the skin, or coming in contact with something hot, removing the top of the blister, puncturing the blister, or draining the fluid will cause the area to heal more quickly, and will require a protective dressing afterwards. A cut or incision usually has clean edges as a result of the cause of injury, for example a sharp knife. If it is a deep wound it can bleed profusely and nerve and muscle damage can occur. Human and animal bites are of special concern, especially in puncture wounds, as bacteria from the mouth can enter the wound resulting in an increased risk of tetanus an d infection. Most animal bites are from pets, usually dogs and cats, and can cause abrasions, deep scratches, and lacerations as well as puncture wounds. Cat bites and scratches are considered more serious due to the high incidence of infection due to the germs that are in their mouth and under their claws. Infection is the largest risk of minor traumatic wounds as they often contain debris and bacteria from the cause of the injury. The treatment from a minor traumatic wound is to clean the wound and surrounding skin, removing any debris and other foreign material. Abrasions require thorough irrigation as ground dirt is frequently embedded in these wounds. Apply an antiseptic solution to cleanse the wound using chlorhexidine, povidone-iodine and normal saline. Surgical wounds that have been stitched together, just clean the old blood prior to the application of a dry dressing. The most important thing is to try to determine the cause of the injury or the object which caused the injury and when the injury occurred. Wounds greater than six to eight hours old have an increased risk of infection. With all traumatic injuries assess the patient’s tetanus status and ensure they have adequate coverage. Following this an assessment of the wound can be made for the location, size, and depth and any additional trauma to underlying structures such as muscle, tendon, nerve, vascular and bone. Animal bites must be monitored for 24-48 hours for signs of infection. Precautionary antibiotic may be administered. Burns Burns can be sustained in a number of ways with children and the elderly where it is the most common. Scalds involving hot liquids are the most common type of burns. In adults, flame burns are more prevalent and other causes can include chemical contact, electrical, friction damage, and sunburn. The seriousness of a burn injury depends on several factors including the size, depth of the burn, the location of the burn, and the age and general medical condition of the burn patient. Clinical studies suggest that about 95% of all burns are relatively minor, however about 5% require hospitalization and highly specialized treatment. The severity of a burn determines the type of treatment it requires. There are 5 recognized grades of burns, minor/superficial, superficial partial thickness, mid dermal partial thickness, deep dermal partial thickness, and full thickness, which has replaced the first, second and third degree terminology used before. Minor/Epidermal is characterized by red, painful, usually not blistered, and will heal within approximately 7 days with no scarring. Superficial dermal is characterized by blistered with pale pink base, very painful and usually heals by epithelialization in 10 – 14 days with no scarring. Mid – Deep dermal is characterized by blotchy, red or white base +/- blisters, no capillary return, predominantly painless, prolonged healing with possible scarring and contracture, and heal in 14 – 28 days. Full thickness is characterized by leathery, white or charred, painless, and prolonged healing with scarring and possible loss of function. The clinical objectives for management of burns are stabilize the patient, cool the wound, debride devitalized (necrotic) tissue, protect from infection, and close the wound by first or second intention healing or by grafting. The impact of first aid cannot be overemphasized with rapid, effective first aid helping to prevent further damage and deeper tissue loss. Burn wound conversion refers to the process whereby tissue damage can extend to deeper layers resulting in prolonged healing. This increases the risk of complications post healing such as contraction and keloid or hypertrophic scarring. Pressure Ulcers . A Pressure Injury is a wound caused by unrelieved pressure of tissue compressed between a bony prominence and an external surface which is classified according to the extent of tissue damage. Synonymous terms include pressure sores, bedsores, and decubitus ulcers. As a result of unrelieved pressure, the network of vascular and lymph vessels supplying oxygen and nutrients to the tissues can be occluded. Several factors are involved in determining if a Pressure Injury will develop and include: duration of pressure, intensity of pressure, and the ability of tissue to tolerate pressure (tissue tolerance). However, there is no universal agreement as to the length of time and the intensity of pressure before tissue damage occurs. Other major factors include: shear, friction forces, and moisture. Pressure Injuries affect people who are largely immobile. They are most common amongst the elderly, but can effect anyone who is confined to a bed or wheel chair. On average 10% of hospitalized p atients can develop a pressure ulcer during their stay. Recent prevalence studies undertaken in several major Australian teaching hospitals identified the prevalence rate of pressure ulcers as being between 5.4% and 15.6%. The most common positions for pressure ulcers are Sacrum/tail bone, Heel, Ischia/buttocks, and Greater trochanters/hip Pressure injury classification are classified according to the level of tissue damage that has been sustained and staging system is used. There are 4 stages of pressure injuries, and are as follows. Stage one is described as intact skin with observable changes including areas of persistent redness. Stage two is described by partial thickness skin loss involving epidermis and or dermis. Stage three is described by full thickness involving damage or necrosis of subcutaneous tissue that may extend down to, but not through, underlying fascia. Stage four is described as full thickness skin loss with extensive tissue destruction to muscle, bone, or supporting structures, tendon, and joint capsule, and may have undermining or sinus formation. The primary treatment and objective for management of pressure injuries are: reduction of pressure and shear forces, management of exudate, prevention of contamination leading to infection, creation of a moist wound environment, and to minimize the frequency of dressing changes, which is generally more cost effective, and provide more rapid healing and less disruption to the patient. Skin Cancer. Skin cancer occurs when errors occur in the DNA of skin cells. The mutations cause the cells to grow out of control and form a mass of cancer cells. Cells involved in skin cancer begin in your skin’s epidermis. The epidermis provides a protective cover of skin cells that your body continually sheds. The epidermis contains three main types of cells: the squamous cells that lie just below the outer surface and function as the skin’s inner lining, the basal cells, which produce new skin cells, sit beneath the squamous cells, and melanocytes which produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its normal color, and are located in the lower part of your epidermis. Melanocytes produce more melanin when you’re in the sun to help protect the deeper layers of your skin. Where skin cancer begins, is determined by its type and will also determine the treatment options. Skin cancer is the abnormal growth of skin cells that most often develops on skin exposed to the sun. But th is common form of cancer can also occur on areas of your skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight. There are three major types of skin cancer — basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. You can reduce your risk of skin cancer by limiting or avoiding exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Checking your skin for suspicious changes can help detect skin cancer at its earliest stages. Early detection of skin cancer gives you the greatest chance for successful skin cancer treatment. Skin cancer develops primarily on areas of sun-exposed skin, including the scalp, face, lips, ears, neck, chest, arms and hands, and on the legs in women. But it can also form on areas that rarely see the light of day like your palms, beneath your fingernails or toenails, and your genital area. Skin cancer affects people of all skin tones, including those with darker complexions. When melanoma occurs in people with dark skin tones, its more likely to occur in areas not normally exposed to the sun Ultraviolet light and other potential causes Much of the damage to DNA in skin cells results from ultraviolet (UV) radiation found in sunlight and in the lights used in tanning beds. But sun exposure doesnt explain skin cancers that develop on skin not ordinarily exposed to sunlight. This indicates that other factors may contribute to your risk of skin cancer, such as being exposed to toxic substances or having a condition that weakens your immune system. Risk factors Factors that may increase your risk of skin cancer include: Fair skin.  Anyone, regardless of skin color, can get skin cancer. However, having less melanin in your skin provides less protection from damaging UV radiation. If you have blond or red hair and light-colored eyes, and you freckle or sunburn easily, youre much more likely to develop skin cancer than is a person with darker skin. A history of sunburns.  Having had one or more blistering sunburns as a child or teenager increases your risk of developing skin cancer as an adult. Sunburns in adulthood also are a risk factor. Excessive sun exposure.  Anyone who spends considerable time in the sun may develop skin cancer, especially if the skin isnt protected by sunscreen or clothing. Tanning, including exposure to tanning lamps and beds, also puts you at risk. A tan is your skins injury response to excessive UV radiation. Sunny or high-altitude climates.  People who live in sunny, warm climates are exposed to more sunlight than are people who live in colder climates. Living at higher elevations, where the sunlight is strongest, also exposes you to more radiation. Moles.  People who have many moles or abnormal moles called dysplastic nevi are at increased risk of skin cancer. These abnormal moles — which look irregular and are generally larger than normal moles — are more likely than others to become cancerous. If you have a history of abnormal moles, watch them regularly for changes. Precancerous skin lesions.  Having skin lesions known as actinic keratosis can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. These precancerous skin growths typically appear as rough, scaly patches that range in color from brown to dark pink. Theyre most common on the face, head and hands of fair-skinned people whose skin has been sun damaged. A family history of skin cancer.  If one of your parents or a sibling has had skin cancer, you may have an increased risk of the disease. A personal history of skin cancer.  If you developed skin cancer once, youre at risk of developing it again. A weakened immune system.  People with weakened immune systems have a greater risk of developing skin cancer. This includes people living with HIV/AIDS and those taking immunosuppressant drugs after an organ transplant. Exposure to radiation.  People who received radiation treatment for skin conditions such as eczema and acne may have an increased risk of skin cancer, particularly basal cell carcinoma. Exposure to certain substances.  Exposure to certain substances, such as arsenic, may increase your risk of skin cancer References http://www.sh.lsuhsc.edu/policies/policy_manuals_via_ms_word/wocn/wocn_08.pdf http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/562489_4 http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/9/1425.full http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17523178 http://www.mayoclinic.com