Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Dermatooncology

In recent times, the realms of both dermatology and healthcare in general have seen large increases in the use of off-label treatments or treatments not recognized by healthcare providers and regulatory bodies. These are often referred to as complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs). The effectiveness of these treatments vary widely, encompassing the spectrum of well established and research-effective off-label use, to questionable use, to actually causing harm. In this chapter we will explore alternate treatments to avoid, those with potential benefits in prevention and treatment of cutaneous malignancy, and those with potential benefits in treating non-oncologic cutaneous problems.