With about 2,000 people dying every year form skin cancer, it's not something that you want to mess with, If you spend a lot of time out in the sun, have fair skin, or have a history of skin cancer then you may be at a greater risk for it than others. One of the good things about skin cancer is that as long as it is caught in the early stages, it can be easily treated.
How Can You Identify Skin Cancer?
Being in tune with your body is one of the best things that you can do for your health. When it comes to skin cancer, one of the best ways to catch it early on is to know what is normal for your skin and what isn't. One of the things that many dermatologists recommend is that people conduct a self-examination every month or so to look for abnormal moles or blemishes. In order to do one of these checks, it's best to do it somewhere like the shower where you are naked. Then, you will want to use both your hand to identify any raised moles and your eyes to look for certain problems. Things to look for include:
- Moles that have grown
- Moles that are really dark
- Moles that have jagged edges
- Moles that are larger than the size of a pencil eraser
- A mole that is changing in size shape, or color
What to Do If You Find an Abnormality
If you do find a mole that looks a bit abnormal and you are worried about it, then schedule an appointment with your dermatologist. During your appointment, your dermatologist will take a close look at your abnormal mole and then determine if it needs to be biopsied or not. To biopsy a mole, they will typically shave it off and send it to the lab. If it does come back as an abnormal mole, then they may recommend treatment.
What Is Treatment?
One of the most popular forms of skin cancer treatment is called MOHs surgery. During this surgical procedure, your dermatologist will remove your skin from the cancerous area layer by layer. After they have removed one layer of skin, they will then inspect it under a microscope to see if it is cancerous. If it is, they will keep going until they don't find any cancerous cells. Once this procedure is done, they will stitch up the area and you will be sent home. Although this procedure is very detailed and may take a long time, it is one of the best solutions out there to ensure that everything has been safely and accurately removed.
Dermatologists spend day in and day out helping patients improve the looks of their skin. Their primary goal is to get your skin healthy, but did you know that they also want you to feel confident? Skin problems like acne and psoriasis can leave patients with a lack of confidence. For some patients, this lack of confidence is so profound that they barely leave their homes. In helping to ease your skin conditions, dermatologists hope that you also get your confidence back. You can learn more about the work these doctors do on this website. Remember that by working with a dermatologist, you can improve the health of your skin and of your mind.