Have You Had Your Skin Checked Lately?

With skin being the largest organ of the body, it is no surprise that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is estimated that approximately 9,500 people in the U.S. are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.

At Ricks Advanced Dermatology, we recommend anyone who has one or more of the following risk factors get an annual skin cancer screening from a dermatology professional:

• A personal or family history of skin cancer.

• A high number and/or density of moles/freckles.

• A history of significant sun exposure, including tanning beds.

• The appearance of new spots or changes to older spots, such as itching, bleeding or spots that look different from others.

• You have fair skin, light eyes and red or blonde hair.

SKIN CHECKS

Skin cancer screenings, or “skin checks” as we call them, are quick and easy. No need to be nervous. Our nurse practitioners and physician associates are highly skilled in identifying skin cancers.

At the skin check, we will bring you back to an exam room, ask you a few personal and family history questions, and have you change into a gown. With your consent, our providers will look you over from scalp to toes and use a small, handheld device called a dermatoscope, which has a light and magnifying lens, to help us see the skin or an area of concern more clearly than we can with the naked eye.

If we find an area of concern, you will know right away and our providers will discuss the next steps. If a biopsy is needed, we can often do it during the same visit.

BEST PREVENTION

The best way to protect your skin year round is — you guessed it — sunscreen! I know it’s a boring answer, but sunscreen is the number-one thing you can do to prevent skin damage, including fine lines, wrinkles and skin cancers.

You should wear a broad-spectrum (UVA and UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that is water resistant, every day.

The other key is reapplication. If you are outdoors, you need to reapply approximately every two hours to maintain the effectiveness of the sunscreen.

The kind of sunscreen you use is a matter of personal preference, as long as it is broad spectrum with an SPF of 30 or greater. However, be careful with spray sunscreens. It is hard to know if you used enough and covered the entire area. I prefer creams for the body and face, but a stick around the eyes is also good. I don’t recommend sunscreens with insect repellent. Sunscreen should be used frequently and insect repellent should be applied sparingly.

You can also wear sun-protective clothing such as lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and pants with a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor), which is like SPF for clothing. Solumbra and Coolibar are some of my favorite brands. These garments have a UPF rating of 15, 30 or 50. Don’t forget your wide brimmed hat. You need something that will protect your face, ears and neck from the sun.

People often complain about getting sunscreen in their eyes and tend to skip the area around their eyes, but this can be protected with a good pair of sunglasses. Finally, don’t forget to protect your lips with SPF!