NEW YORK, NY (American Health Newswire) -- More than three-quarters of a million people will have a hip replaced this year. But some may be a little gun shy after a large FDA recall of metal-on-metal devices, as they caused inflammation, tissue death, and heart and nervous system problems. Now, a new implant is replacing the metal with something safer.

Doctor Steven Harwin, Chief of Adult Reconstructive Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center, has been replacing 15 hips a week for 30 years. His patient Gilbert Ramirez talked to us a few minutes before he was going to meet up with Dr. Harwin in the operating room. As a New York City tour guide, he rides transportation all day long.

"You figure there are 20 stops, you're constantly going up and down the stairs. That's when I noticed my hip started to give me a lot of pressure," Ramirez told American Health. His right hip was wearing bone on bone. "It stops you dead in your tracks."

Gilbert is getting a new type of hip replacement called Modular Dual Mobility hip, or MDM.

"This is what a contemporary hip replacement looks like," Dr. Harwin told American Health.

It has a metal shell, plastic insert and the implant attaches it to the thigh bone.

"The plastic can wear out," Dr. Harwin said. The new MDM replacement uses a porous titanium socket that allows bone to grow into it. "The range of motion is quite large, and the bearings move in conjunction with each other."

Tony Renteria had the MDM replacement a month ago. Getting around on foot in this city was a must, but he was at a disadvantage. "I could not walk at all," Renteria told American Health. Now, 30 days after surgery, he's walking without a cane.

"From the next day, I felt absolutely fine. It was like I had no pain whatsoever!" Renteria exclaimed. Tony's path to recovery continues, and he's practically pain free-each step of the way.

While it's relatively new in the United States, the MDM has been used in Europe for decades. Dr. Harwin is one of 30 surgeons worldwide who helped improve the design and update it with more modern, longer lasting materials. He says about 90 percent of traditional hip replacements last 15 years or longer. He hopes the MDM will give patients even better outcomes by helping to reduce dislocation of the implant.

NEW YORK, NY (American Health Newswire) -- Skin cancers account for 80 percent of all new cancers diagnosed each year. That means 430,000 people will be told they have it in 2012. What you don't know about skin cancer could end up killing you. First, answer some questions to determine how much you know about melanoma.

Where does skin cancer not occur: Between your toes, on your palms, under your fingernails, or on your lips? Answer: skin cancer can actually happen in all of these places.

Can simply staying in the shade can protect you from getting skin cancer? Answer: yes, shade alone can reduce your exposure to ultraviolet rays by 75 percent! But you should still use a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 at all times.

Detecting and diagnosing melanoma can be tricky. The only way is through a biopsy, but even then, dermatologist Jonathan Zippin, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center, says it's not that easy.

"The problem is, this grey area, is a controversial area. A lot of people don't know how to define it," Dr. Zippin told American Health.

Once the mole is tested, pathologists agree on just 60 to 75 percent of the cases. That's why Dr. Zippin has created a new diagnostic test that helps eliminate this "grey" area. "It's a test that looks for a certain protein in the melanoma or mole," Dr. Zippin said. The protein, called sac, is expressed in all cells.

"It's not a question of whether it's there or not, it's a question of where it is," he said.

When analyzing at test results, doctors look at the red and blue markers. The red in the cell is the sac protein. The blue is the cell nucleus. When the red is next to the blue, the test indicates that the mole is normal. If the red is on top of the blue, the mole is cancerous.

"If it's in this area it's bad, and if it's in this area it's good. It's much simpler and much more consistently interpreted," he said.

Doctor Zippin says his protein test is still in the research phase, but doctors can send their biopsies to Cornell and his team will run the test for them. Also, don't leave your mole health just to your doctor. Experts say you should check your moles each month. To keep track of any changes, go to our site to download a printable body map.