Seven Dermatological Tips for Your Skin

1. Use sunscreen (spf 15 or 30) and REAPPLY every 1.5 hrs!

There are two take-home messages here. First of all it is true that applying sunscreen will not prevent you from getting all types of skin cancer. Malignant melanoma – the most rare but also the most aggressive skin cancer, can appear in places that you may not even suspect, like under the nails and on the soles of your feet. However, you also have to remember that applying the sunscreen can prevent most of the skin cancers such as squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or basal cell carcinoma of the skin. It is important, also, that you get adequate vitamin D for a healthy immune system, so during times of low UV levels it is necessary to get at least 15 minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen. Sunscreen use should be utilized during times when UV levels are high and when long-term exposure is planned (like a day at the beach).

Secondly – manufacturers of sunscreen X may advertise supremacy of their product by emphasizing that it works for over 12 hours and that their sunscreen is waterproof. Well, ask any dermatologist and they will agree that there is not a single product in the market today that will provide you with maximum protection just after a single application. Therefore do not sabotage your skin. Reapply with a minimum spf 15 or 30 sunscreen every hour and a half while you are being exposed. And while doing that do not forget your ears, temples, back of your legs, V-of your neck – some of the most common areas that skin cancer is found.

Two valuable resources for determining safe exposure without sunscreen are: weather.com’s Current UV indicator and the Sun tanning time indicator.

2. Don’t count your moles; just keep an eye on them

It is normal for an individual to get on average somewhere between 80-100 moles in a lifetime. While babies rarely are born with moles, exposure to the sun, genetics or hormone fluctuations might cause moles to appear. So, it is not so much the number of moles that is important. What is more important is how they look. Anything increasing in size (more than 6 mm), or becoming more irregular in color or symmetry ought to be seen by the dermatologist or your primary care provider.

3. Get annual eye exam and wear polarized sunglasses

That’s right. You read it correctly! And don’t get just any eye exam, but ask for a full fundoscopic eye exam that involves the dilation of your pupils. The fact is that the most aggressive skin cancer melanoma, which develops from cells called melanocytes, can be found not only in the skin, but also in internal organs, including eye. Reason being that melanocytes that produce the dark-colored pigment melanin, which is responsible for the color of our skin, can also be found in the lining of the internal organs. And don’t be fooled by lack of symptoms. While your vision may not have a refractory problem and your eye may continue focusing well on both near and far objects, often ocular melanoma can be occult and therefore if not diagnosed early may have devastating outcome.

Wearing polarized sunglasses with UV protection will help protect your eyes from the damaging UV light rays that are the most intense between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. and decrease your chances for ocular melanoma.

4. Protect your children’s skin

Truth is that most of the skin damage is done before you are 18! Fare skinned individuals and those with the history of the blistering sunburn will be at the most risk. So, it is the responsibility of the parent to teach young children about the skin health and ways we can protect it by wearing hats that cover ears, light colored clothing that will help reflect the damaging sun rays, and using sunscreen when appropriate. Article continues on next page…

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Agne Naujokas will soon be graduating from the A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Medicine in Kirksville, Missouri with a D.O. degree, and is planning to do her residency in anatomical and clinical pathology at the University of California, San Francisco. | All articles by Agne Naujokas.