New Year's Healthy Skin Resolutions

Your skin is the largest organ of your body - don't forget to take care of it like you would for your other vital organs! Here are some New Year's Healthy Skin resolutions we should all be sticking to:

1. Wear sunscreen daily on all sun-exposed skin!
It doesn't matter if you are going outside for 10 minutes or 4 hours - make sure your skin is protected with a broad spectrum sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB rays, with a SPF of at least 30. Excess infrared rays (from heat) have also been shown to be harmful to the skin. Reapply every 1-2 hours. The most important reason to wear sunscreen is to protect against skin cancer. Secondarily, the sun ages our skin greatly, no matter what skin type and skin color. Excess sun exposure leads to dull skin, bad texture, fine lines, broken blood vessels, and brown spots. We recommend Colorescience Sunforgettable and Skin Medica Total Defense + Repair. 

2. Moisturize daily.
Even if you don't think you need a moisturizer, or have oily skin. Moisturized skin looks better and is healthier. If you are eczema-prone, moisturizing is even more important, to maintain that healthy skin barrier and to help soothe. If your skin tends to be oily, and you apply products to dry it out, you can have a rebound effect where the body produces more oil to compensate. We recommend Skin Medica Rejuvenative Moisturizer, Skin Medica Ultra Sheer Moisturizer, and Skin Medica HA5.

3. Have your specific skin problems evaluated by a dermatologist.
If you're having flares of acne, eczema, dandruff, rosacea,etc, be evaluated by a dermatologist. Many common skin problems are easily treated once you are using the correct medications. Self-treatment sometimes leads to worsening of your skin condition! 

Florida Skin Center wishes everyone a happy and healthy 2017!

Best Preventative Anti-aging Product Available

As a Dermatology office, we are frequently asked “what is the best anti-aging product?” The truth is simple… it’s sunscreen!

While the natural aging process will occur and cause loss of collagen in our skin, UV damage will most certainly cause the skin to age more quickly.  The sun and other UV sources such as tanning beds produce both UV-A and UV-B rays.

•      UV-B rays are responsible for tanning/burning of the skin , and may lead to skin cancer. 
•        UV-B only penetrates the epidermis (very top layer of skin).    

•    UV-A deeply penetrates the skin in the dermis and causes the breakdown of collagen. Collagen is what gives our skin its support and youthful elasticity. UV-A induced breakdown is what can lead to wrinkly and leathery skin. 

Some interesting facts about UV-A (Aging rays) to make you think twice about applying your sunscreen daily.

• UV-A is the same strength year round 
• You don’t feel this UV ray as heat, and temperature does not dictate the amount of UV radiation being emitted.
• 99% of the UV radiation that reaches the Earth's surface is UV-A
• Up to 40 percent of the sun's UV radiation reaches the earth on a cloudy day.
• Car windows can block approximately 97% of UV-B rays, but UV-A rays are only          blocked - out by 37%. 

You are getting UV-A exposure anytime the sun is out.  Any time of day, and any day of the year. UV-damage does not show up as sunburn, and will silently age your skin. While it is most important to get the first application on in the morning, it is also important to reapply if you know you will have longer periods of exposure. There are many choices for a great broad spectrum sunscreen that will protect against damaging UV-A and UV-B rays. Ask one of our knowledgeable staff members about these products during your next visit and Florida Skin Center

The Ideal Skin Cancer Screening

Why should we have skin cancer screenings?
The statistics for skin cancer are daunting, and speak to the importance of regular skin cancer screenings. Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Melanoma rates in the United States have doubled in the past 20 years. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, has a good prognosis if detected early. However, this type of skin cancer can spread quickly to other parts of the body, making it deadly. Quite often, there are no symptoms, and patients are not even aware of the cancerous growth until it is too late. The 5-year survival rate for melanoma that has been detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 98%. However, when melanoma is detected in the later stages, the prognosis can be grim. The 5-year survival rate for regional and distant stage melanomas drops to 63% and 17%, respectively. On average, one American dies from melanoma every hour. The most common skin cancers, basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, are highly curable if detected early. These types of skin cancers are usually not life-threatening, but can invade deeper tissues and cause scarring.

If you have no personal or family history of skin cancer, no personal history of dysplastic nevi (abnormal moles) or actinic keratoses (pre-cancers), a skin cancer screening by a qualified dermatology medical professional is recommended yearly. If you have a history of any of the above, a skin cancer screening is recommended more frequently - at least every 6 months. Self-skin-checks at home are recommended monthly, regardless. You should also have an eye exam yearly by an ophthalmologist, as melanoma can also occur in the eye.

Preparing for your skin cancer screening
Do your self-skin-check at home and make note of any new or changing moles, growths, or marks. Make sure to point these out to your healthcare provider at the visit.

Wear clothing that is easy to remove. Try not to wear makeup or anything that can make it more difficult to evaluate the skin. Remove nail polish from the fingernails and toenails. Melanoma can occur under the nails, so these areas should not be overlooked.

The skin cancer screening
At the office, you will be given a gown and asked to undress. Ideally, all clothing, including underwear, should be removed, as well as shoes, makeup and jewelry. All parts of the body will be examined, from head to toe. Your healthcare provider will most likely use a dermascope to aid in examining lesions that need special attention. The dermascope has a magnifying lens and light so that your provider can see pigment patterns and characteristics of the lesion that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Some characteristics of moles that your provider will be evaluating can be summarized in the ABCDEs of melanoma, which is also a good guideline for your self-skin-exams at home.

A     A is for asymmetry - if one half of the mole does not match the other half.
B     B is for borders - if the border is irregular.
C     C is for color - if the color is not uniform, or if the color is very dark.
D     D is for diameter - if the size of the lesion is greater than 6mm (pencil eraser).
E     E is for evolution - if the lesion is changing, especially suddenly.

Other types of lesions that your healthcare provider will be looking for include red or pink growths or patches that can be scaly or bleeding. A growth or patch that started off looking like a pimple or injury but has not healed in the normal expected time is worth testing, to rule out basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Sun protection and sun avoidance can help minimize your risk of skin cancers. It is important to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30 daily, on sun-exposed areas. It is also important to reapply sunscreen every 1-2 hours. Regular skin cancer screenings by a trained dermatology provider are important to ensure that skin cancers are not overlooked and are treated in a timely fashion should they arise.

The Art of Applying Sunscreen

     This picture has made it on TODAY, and has since been shared all over social media as a funny and common mistake. It sheds light on the importance of the correct application of sunscreen. A sunburn not only causes pain, but it’s also bad for your health.

    About 86 percent of melanomas can be attributed to exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. A person’s risk for developing melanoma doubles if they have had one or more blistering sunburns, or 5 or more sunburns.

   

    A recent study conducted by the American Academy of Dermatology states, 37% of people rarely or never applies sunscreen to their back and 43% of people rarely or never ask someone else to help them apply sunscreen to their back. Sunscreen application and examination of the back are important because the back is THE most common area for diagnosed Melanomas.

You can protect yourself by

•        Use a broad spectrum sunscreen (protects against UVA and UVB rays.) Use a sunscreen with a SPF or sun protective factor of at least 30. Reapply approximately 1oz of sunscreen every 2 hours.

•        If using a spray sunscreen, MAKE SURE TO RUB IT IN.

•        Limit sun exposure during hours when the UV rays are the strongest, between 10AM and 4 PM

•        Wear protective clothing, sunglasses and a wide brimmed hat.

•        Avoid tanning beds

•        Have an annual skin exam performed by a dermatologist.

Do self-skin exams, using the ABCDE's every month, and look for new or changing moles