You probably spent a good deal of time during the summer outside: tending your yard, exercising, or just lounging and basking in the summer sun. Perhaps you even overdid it and got sunburned a time or two. Time for a post-summer skin check!
The importance of staying healthy is no secret. We all know how critical it is to monitor, regulate, and--if necessary--improve how our bodies work. While the majority of us understand the benefits of preventative care for our heart, lungs, and joints, we sometimes ignore our skin, which is the largest organ in the body.
Adopting a few simple habits into your daily routine can, quite literally, save your skin!
While it may be an unintentional oversight, lack of protection and care for our skin can lead to very serious consequences. Most can be treated very easily by non-invasive procedures if they are caught early. Others can become life-threatening if left undiagnosed.
Although moles with these features aren’t automatically cancerous, they do have a greater potential for dangerous abnormalities, and should monitored by your dermatologist. Here’s what the pros look for:
Moles aren’t thing you should keep a close eye on. Any areas on the skin that become crusty, painful, or begin to bleed should be seen by your provider immediately. Non-melanoma skin cancers can be recognized early by a few tell-tale characteristics:
Basal Cell Carcinoma
This is the most common type of skin cancer, caused by a history of unprotected sun exposure. Usually found on the areas of the body that get the most sun. It is most often recognized as a “pearly” bump or patch that doesn’t go away.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma
While also very common, these have a higher risk of spreading to the surrounding tissue and/or lymph nodes, and so must be caught as early as possible. They usually develop as crusty growths that bleed easily when scratched and are slow to heal.
Malignant melanoma
This is the most serious form of skin cancer, and can be life threatening if left undiagnosed and untreated. Early detection is critical to prevent the melanoma from metastasizing--or spreading--to other areas of the body. A melanoma can occur as a completely new spot on the skin, or a change to an already existing mole, even areas with little to no sun exposure. Common treatment options include surgery and/or various medications; some cases may even require chemotherapy or radiation.
While a little TLC, and keeping an eye on your moles, can do wonders to prevent future skin damage, it’s essential that you include yearly skin exams as a part of your regimen too.
Your dermatologist can take a closer look at each and every mole and freckle, and can track or treat any changes that may occur. Call 757-461-1033 to schedule your comprehensive skin exam at Integrated Dermatology Group of Tidewater today!
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