Love Your Skin Enough to Prevent Cancer
May is skin cancer awareness month, however thinking about your skin should happen every day! Over the many years providing my clients with aesthetic treatments, I have caught skin cancer. Not once or twice but several times. Fortunately, it was detected early and the treatment plans were effective. I share this because according to the American Academy of Dermatology, one in seven Americans will get skin cancer in their lifetime. While this is one of the fastest growing cancers, the good news is nearly 100% of all skin cancers can be cured if caught in the early stages.
What can YOU do?
Your risks for skin cancer can be significantly reduced with three steps:
Be aware of the warning signs
Get regular skin checkups
Protect yourself from the sun
1) Be Aware of Warning Signs
Being educated is a very important step to taking good care of yourself. Here are some skin cancer warning signs and symptoms to watch out for:
- A growth that increases in size and appears pearly or translucent
-A mole with any of the following signs:
Asymmetry– one half the mole doesn’t match the other
Border irregularity– notched, jagged or blurred edges
Uneven color– a mottled appearance with shades of tan, brown, black, red, white and/or blue
Symptomatic– itchiness, tenderness or pain
-A sore that has not healed in 3-4 weeks
-A wound that continually reopens or bleeds (that you’re not certain where it came from).
2) Get Regular Skin Checkups
Having an annual skin exam with a dermatologist is a must. We highly recommend Phoenix Skin Medical Surgical Group. If you notice any of the above warning signs for skin cancer, you should schedule an appointment. You can also check yourself. Regular self-exams have been known to catch some of the warning signs.
3) Protect Yourself from the Sun & Sun Damage
While you need the sun for your daily dose of Vitamin D, it does not imply that you should put your health at risk! Applying sunscreen with a high SPF helps to block harmful rays from penetrating the skin and triggering skin disorders. All of us love to have younger looking, radiant and healthy skin. And, this is one of the most convincing reasons to start using sunscreen. It shields your skin from developing signs of aging, such as wrinkles and fine lines. It’s also preventive. Studies show that people below the age of 55 who used sunscreen had 24% lesser chances of developing these aging signs than non-sunscreen and occasional sunscreen users.
Once the skin is sun damaged (most of us likely have some form of sun damage), there are a few things that are beneficial, including:
-Chemical Peels: This treatment exfoliates the outer layer of sun damage and can be done several times per year. A moderate chemical peel is relatively painless and cost-effective to remove mild sun damage such as solar lentigines and age spots.
-Medical-grade skin care products: Ones that have active ingredients to even skin tone and reduce the appearance of sun damage can be beneficial in reducing damage. Active ingredients such as those found in our BabyFace Skin Brightening Cream (available in-office!) include kojic acid, L-ascorbic acid, bearberry extract, lactic acid and retinol – all known to even the skin tones and give a glow.
-Microneedling: Done right in our studio, microneedling stimulates collagen growth and rejuvenates skin cells. This treatment drives skin products and serums deeper into the skin and creates a controlled injury, making the skin respond naturally.
With these three steps you will be taking great care of your skin and your health, too.
Heads up: BabyFace LLC is offering a summer special – book any service in the month of June* and receive $50 off. *Appointment can be anytime during the summer to receive offer!