Absolutely! Did you know that your skin is an organ of your body? It is the largest and most visible of the body's organs and one of the most complex because it interacts with many other organs. Its main purpose is to act as a shield, protecting your insides from external stress: disease, infection and environmental factors such as the sun, wind and rain. Your skin also plays an important part in your appearance. By taking care of your skin, you help it do its job and look healthy, too.
How can I take care of my skin?
Here are some simple steps most people can take to protect their skin:
- If you have normal or dry skin, use moisturizers and gentle, nondrying cleansers.
Most people just need a little soap under their arms, between their legs, and on their feet. Use plain water to rinse the rest of your body. The best time to apply a moisturizer is right after bathing. - Help prevent skin cancer by using sunscreen every day, all through the year, on any exposed skin. Use a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, wear protective clothing and avoid over exposure to the sun. Stay away from tanning booths.
- Wear gloves when you wash dishes, use harsh chemicals, garden, rake leaves and do other activities that can be hard on your hands.
There is no doubt that sun damage not only adds to, accelerates and exaggerates the effects of chronological aging, but also causes distinct and irreversible changes that can lead to skin cancer later in life. "Innocent" moments in the sun can add up to irreversible changes in the skin. A 10-minute walk at noon, a 20-minute picnic lunch, a half hour of gardening, or an hour soccer game can put your skin at risk.
Sunscreens contain chemicals that absorb ultraviolet rays but allow certain wavelengths to penetrate the skin. Sunblocks contain titanium dioxide that reflects all of the sun's wavelengths.
Sunscreen and Sunblock Recommendations:
- Use a minimum SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of 15 daily (even on cloudy days). Higher SPF sunscreen may offer a little more protection, but it's more important to find one that you like and will use.
- Use a lip balm with an SPF of 15 or more daily.
- Minimize sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
- Wear a hat, sunglasses, long-sleeved shirt and long pants when in the sun.
- Apply sunscreen one hour before sun exposure. Re-apply every two hours.
- Keep infants under six months of age out of the sun. Use a sunscreen on all children over the age of six months.
- Diagnosis - We diagnose skin disease quickly and effectively by noting your symptoms and checking your skin. Then, we give you options for proven treatments. If you have any symptoms of skin disease, see a dermatologist as soon as possible.
- Prevention - We can also help you prevent unnecessary damage to your skin. We do this through education and by showing you how to examine your skin for signs of skin cancer or other skin problems.
- Surgery - We are also skin surgeons. We often perform surgery on the skin to prevent disease, provide early control of disease or improve how the skin looks.
- Cosmetic Procedures - Dermatologists can improve the appearance of skin damaged by aging, sunlight or disease. Some ways they do this include chemical peels (a form of skin rejuvenation), microdermabrasion (a form of skin rejuvenation), and Botox treatments for wrinkles.
ABCDs of Melanoma: Created to help people recognize the warning signs of melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer. The ABCDs are:
Asymmetry
One side does not look like the other side.
Border irregular
The edges are ragged or uneven.
Color varies
More than one color is present. Melanoma may include streaks of
tan, brown, black, red, blue and white.
Diameter
While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller. If you notice a mole different from others, or which changes, itches, or bleeds (even if it is small) you should see a dermatologist.
