You may have also read on our wall, or on Twitter, that we’re going to be accepting appointments at our MOBILE clinic, arriving in San Francisco the week of October 10th. Please share this with all your friends and loved ones in the Bay Area as we bring the most advanced detection services to the West coast.  Call 1-877-MOLESAFE (1-877-665-3723) to schedule an appointment there…or at any of our permanent clinics in six locations around the country.

If you can’t make it to one of our clinics, do continue to practice self-exams and book your annual examinations with your dermatologist.

MelApp from Health Discovery on iTunes

If you’ll be attending the AAD next weekend (American Academy of Dermatology) we hope to meet you.  Please look for me, Dr. Richard Bezozo as well as Dennis Favazza – MoleSafe’s Director of Business Development, and Maddie Pallamary, RN.  We’ll be at the conference, taking place Aug 4-6 at the Hilton Hotel in NYC — Booth # 330.  Please come by and let’s talk in person about MoleSafe and our leading edge diagnostic tools.

Finally, in other news, there’s another way to remember your ABCDEs! Similar to the app we reported on a couple of months ago you can use your iPhone now in the meantime with MelApp to share images of your moles with your doctor, along with a helpful reminder of exactly what to look for on your skin — and the skin of a loved one.

Bikers –

Cycling news site, Nouvelles à Vélo du Monde — Bike World News –  has some practical reminders:

People who bicycle a lot have several strikes against them when it comes to skin cancer… Because many cyclists ride near their homes, they think they’re not at risk if they don’t put on sunblock — even for a short ride. The problem is that cyclists tend to expose more skin than other athletes because of the clothes they wear (shorts and short-sleeve shirts). In addition, many cyclists may not realize that water, sand, and asphalt streets reflect dangerous UV rays.

In addition to the expected recommendations such as sunscreen, including face, nose, neck and ears, less obvious suggestions include moving your cycling time to when the sun is less severe, such as early morning, wearing riding gloves and also a thin cycling hat under a helmet. 

Another interesting suggestion?:

Don’t forget to stay hydrated while cycling by drinking plenty of non-alcoholic beverages before  and during a ride. When your skin dries out or is not hydrated properly, it’s more susceptible to sunburn and long-term skin damage.

Beach and Pool:

Be sure to reapply sunscreen every two hours when you’re in the sun and every 40 minutes if you are in the water.  And don’t forget your feet.  Believe it or not, some say flip-flops are causing increased skin cancer!  Well, not the sandals themselves, but the increased popularity of that sun-exposing style vs. covered shoes.  But as described on Fort Bragg Patch.com,

“Being protected from the sun doesn’t mean you have to throw all the fun out the window. Find the coolest pair of shades you can come by, get a ridiculously big hat (like Carrie from Sex and the City), park it under a tree or umbrella and sip on something fruity to keep you cool.”

That said, sometimes a burn will still happen.  USAToday.com has good and practical treatment advice in that worst case scenario.  I encourage you to read it, but some high points are:

After a cool shower or bath, slather on a moisturizing cream or lotion to soothe the skin. …And consider a product containing vitamin C and vitamin E: It might help limit skin damage (though studies have not proved that)… It’s also OK to use a hydrocortisone cream for a day or two to relieve discomfort.

…Drink extra water, juice and sports drinks for a couple of days and watch for signs of dehydration… Children are especially vulnerable, so check with a doctor if they appear ill.

Consider medicating with ibuprofen which not only alleviates the pain and some swelling, but might prevent some long-term skin damage.  While they remind us most sunburns can be treated at home, “if a blistering burn covers 20% or more of the body (a child’s whole back), [or if symptoms such as fever or chills occur] seek medical attention”

“A child’s skin has structural quality that makes it more vulnerable to the effects of UV radiation, and this can result in an increased risk of later skin cancer,” said Roya Samuels, MD, a pediatrician at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York in New Hyde Park.

New York City dermatologist Doris Day, MD, says that “newborns, infants, and toddlers have skin that is continuing to develop…and it is really important to protect it,” she says.

However,  it’s not easy to find sunscreen for infants and toddlers: “Sunscreens for infants must be non-irritating to the skin and eyes…” For both these reasons, for the first six months, infants should be covered from direct sun via clothing, hats, etc., This is also important since harmful rays can penetrate car and home windows. (Consider clear protective window coatings.)

Then, in selecting a sunscreen, with a minimum SPF of 15, many parents “may prefer that infant sunscreen leave a temporary film so they can be sure all exposed body parts are well covered. In addition, water-resistance is an important quality for infant and toddler sunscreens….” as is the need to ensure a sunscreen blocks against both UVA and UVB rays.  The thicker zinc- or titanium-based products are more opaque and sit on skin more than getting absorbed.  “…And zinc and titanium don’t irritate the eyes as much because they tend to stay in place.” 

We shared the Environmental Working Guide’s new rating of more than 1,000 sun products in our last post.  And The Daily Green culled through that list to post their selections from that list of the 13 most affordable natural kid and baby sunscreens with mineral sunblocks.

As mentioned in WebMD:

Ravinder Khaira, MD, a pediatrician with Sutter Independent Physicians in Sacramento, Calif., says that applying sunscreen — and reapplying it according to the directions — is the No. 1 way to prevent sunburn and sun damage that can lead to skin cancers when children grow up.

Take special care to cover their ears, nose, and scalp, he says.

Young children do have highly sensitive skin, so it’s a good idea to do a small patch test before slathering on a new sunscreen. “Test it on the forearm and wait about 30 to 40 minutes to see if any hives, swelling, redness, or itchiness occur,” Khaira says.

If children get sunscreen in their eyes, flush their eyes and face with cold water to minimize any irritation, he says.

It’s not always easy being a dad…or a mom.  But once the kids are slathered up, you can sit back and rest.  For a second.

This nodular lesion is a squamous cell carcinoma. These lesions are seldom fatal but can be disfiguring. Credit: The Skin Cancer Foundation

The images are startling, clear, and come with specific explanations of the whys and whats that distinguish the moles and lesions in the photos.  They may be difficult for the average person to review, but I feel they are important as a way to increase awareness of what could be ignored or overlooked  and with this kind of education what could, just as the title promises, save your life.  Just as we felt about Dr. Oz and the “in your face” videos of skin cancers and prevention information that he shared, this photographic guide is worthy of a “Hat’s On” award for straightforward, helpful coverage of exactly what to look for in the variety of skin cancer presentations.

And yet again, here are those rules of thumb again for your skin self-exams and warning signs to heed:

• A skin growth that increases in size and appears pearly, translucent, tan, brown, black, or multicolored
• A mole, birthmark, beauty mark, or any brown spot that:
  • changes color
  • increases in size or thickness
  • changes in texture
  • is irregular in outline
  • is bigger than 6mm or 1/4”, the size of a pencil eraser
  • appears after age 21
• A spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab, erode, or bleed
• An open sore that does not heal within three weeks

So, our first Hat’s On Award goes to Dr Oz, for his very informative, and sometimes in-your-face real, series of answers and show segments on this disease.

In this example, he shows off the mole of an audience member to explain the ABCDEs of self-exams. In another more startling audience experience he shows a real tissue sample of the effects of skin cancer.

Dr Oz Showing Skin Cancer Tissue Sample

Even his fans have picked up the gauntlet: here’s a written summary of the above skin cancer prevention show in this blog excerpt created by “DrOzFans.com”:

Dr Oz: How to Avoid Skin Cancer

The Dr Oz Cancer Proof Your Life show including a segment on the number one cancer you can avoid – Skin Cancer.  Over 1 million Americans are diagnosed with Skin Cancer and almost 1 person every hour dies from it.  Doctor Oz said that Skin Cancer is preventable.  A Melanoma usually has pigment, but it does not have to have a color to be dangerous.   He showed a sample of a real Skin Cancer that looked very rough and scaly on the surface.

Here is Dr Oz’s list of true / false questions about Skin Cancer.  See how many you get right!

1.  If you live in North Dakota & use sunscreen, your risk of Melanoma may be greater than someone in South Florida?

Dr Oz said that this is true because people in North Dakota have a higher risk for Skin Cancer for two reasons.  One reason is that there is less ozone in North Dakota than in Florida, so the UV rays can get through more easily.  The second reason is that Vitamin D helps to prevent Skin Cancer, and Northerners tend to be low in Vitamin D.  So Dr Oz suggested taking vitamin D supplements or you can be in the sun for only 15 minutes a day, and after that you must apply sunscreen.  Dr Oz said that the right amount of sunscreen to apply is the amount that would fill up a shot glass (1.5 ounces).

2. The Color of Your Clothes Can Protect You From Skin Cancer?

True!  Dr Oz said that different colors of clothes do protect you from the sun better.  For example, red or blue fabrics are harder for the rays to get through, whereas white or yellow clothing puts you at a greater risk.  This past summer I noticed a trend in companies offering clothing with built in sunscreen, which also seems like a great option.  Dr Oz said that your face is very prone to getting Skin Cancer, and it is twice as likely to kill you if you get it there, so make sure to cover your head with a hat too.

3.  Pedicures Increase Your risk of Skin Cancer? 

Dr Oz said that it is true that Pedicures increase your chances of getting Skin Cancer.  You must remove nail polish at least once a month to make sure nothing is growing underneath your nail.  Also, the UV light used in nail drying machines may cause cancer, so either ask your nail technician to turn off the UV light or just let your nails air dry.

I see people all the time now with sunburn from mild to quite severe and I want to ask them if they know what they could potentially be doing to themselves. A friend of mine said she used baby oil recently. I said I used to use that. Look at me now. She promised she wouldn’t do it again. I hope she doesn’t. You see until this happens to you, you take many things for granted too, like our skin. We pay little or no care to what we subject it to when we spend hours in the sun just to get a tan and laugh and joke about our silly tan lines and our white bottoms afterwards. I have to say I dont miss the white bottom but I do miss being sun kissed. Now I feel like I’m being sun bashed. lol You cant get a skin transplant. Once you get melanoma you cant un-get it!

Mrs. Ayers writes with a charming candor that may help the healthy as well as those sharing her challenge to keep a good perspective:

One day at a time, one bus ride [to radiation therapy] at a time one zapping at a time. I go to bed early most evenings so I’m never knackered in the mornings although it takes me time to actually oil my my facial muscles to smile first thing. So poor hubby gets grumparse Alethea whilst everyone on the bus gets to see me awake and chirpy Alethea. By the time I get back its time to get my son from day care. He is such a happy baby (gets it from me lol) I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself.

In another entry she mentions her belated understanding of how day to day sun exposure that we may not even think of can creep up on us, such as hanging an arm out the window while driving. It’s a good reminder that defensive driving should include sunscreen! And checking that arm regularly — and other places where you may unconsciously get day to day exposure – as a more frequent part of your skin self-exam is a good idea, as mentioned by Dr. Richard Besser of Good Morning America:

No matter what your skin color, you have to check your skin regularly for signs of skin cancer. The first place to check is any area that is sun-exposed: your face, neck, ears, hands and your back and legs if you’re at the beach. Don’t forget your arm if you hang it out the window while you’re driving. Balding men should check their scalps — even the skin exposed by the part in your hair.

As Mrs. Ayers reminds us, please don’t take your skin for granted.

What are the best ways to stay on top of it? Well, of course awareness is the first step. Understanding the serious nature of this form of skin cancer will drive more people to practice better sun safety, and get regular skin exams. 2010 is also the 25th-year anniversary of the development of the "ABCDEs” – the acronym for the quick and simple criteria to use for skin self-exams to help detect skin cancers, including melanoma. Please share these easy reminders with your friends and loved ones:

A is for Asymmetry where one-half of the mole is unlike the other.

B is for Border where the mole is irregular, scalloped or poorly defined.

C is for Color that varies from one area to another or has different shades of tan, brown, black and sometimes white, red or blue.
D is for Diameter of a mole when it is bigger than the size of a pencil eraser.
E is for Evolving or changing in size, shape or color.

The ABDCEs were created by dermatologists at NYU Langone Medical Center, which is home to the most recent addition of the MoleSafe clinic locations. This exemplary institution is also conducting its annual free skin cancer screening on Thursday, May 6, 2010 from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM at 550 First Avenue in the Charles C. Harris Skin and Cancer Pavilion on the first floor of the Medical Center. No appointment is necessary for the free screening and everyone is encouraged to take advantage of this annual opportunity – especially those who have a changing mole, a history of melanoma, or who are over the age of 50 and do not have a regular dermatologist.

Also, the Skin Cancer Foundation is back on the road, conducting free screenings around the country. For a list of a locations please visit their web site.

As always, we encourage you to invest in your healthy future with the "gold standard” of skin cancer screenings at any of our four (soon to be SIX!) MoleSafe locations in the country. Our final reminder? Melanoma Awareness shouldn’t be limited to the month of May. Stay vigilant. Stay aware.

In all seriousness, Melanoma Updates has also noted back in October that Harvard School of Public Health wanted to encourage more primary care physicians be trained in looking out for melanomas while they happened to be examining other parts of the body. Makes sense to me. So, it makes sense to me that if you’re at all uncomfortable having a full body skin-exam that you could at least start by having your loved one give you a naked eye once-over for spots and dots you can’t see yourself. As the Skin Cancer Foundation’s post points out, “patients themselves detect about half of all melanomas.” They also have a terrific self-exam how-to posted on their site.

As they also note, it doesn’t replace a doctor’s examination, especially one trained in the use of a dermatoscope.

image of dermatoscope

But we are all about moving skin cancer prevention forward, and keeping loved ones around for as long as possible.

In all seriousness, Melanoma Updates has also noted back in October that Harvard School of Public Health wanted to encourage more primary care physicians be trained in looking out for melanomas while they happened to be examining other parts of the body.  Makes sense to me.  So, it makes sense to me that if you’re at all uncomfortable having a full body skin-exam that you could at least start by having your loved one give you a naked eye once-over for spots and dots you can’t see yourself. As the Skin Cancer Foundation’s post points out, “patients themselves detect about half of all melanomas.” They also have a terrific self-exam how-to posted on their site.

As they also note, it doesn’t replace a doctor’s examination, especially one trained in the use of a dermatoscope.

image of dermatoscope

But we are all about moving skin cancer prevention forward, and keeping loved ones around for as long as possible.

• Head out in groups, never alone.
• Don’t accept unwrapped food items.
• Look both ways when crossing the street and never get in a car with a stranger.
• Keep the flashlight handy.
• And the hardest trick for kids (and sometimes adults) to learn?: don’t eat all your candy at once!

It’s a good time for grown-ups to practice safety measures, too.

Take off Your Costume!

Sure skin cancer is a scary subject, but there are some tricks to staying ahead of it.

First? Take off your costume. And all your clothes, for that matter!

Checking your skin means taking regular reviews of all the spots and dots on your body: moles, freckles and, yes, those little treats, “age spots.” Things change, and you’re the one who sees your skin the most. Of course it’s even better to do a buddy check with your partner. The American Academy of Dermatology has a handy how-to you can print out for checking yourself out. Then, if you see any kind of change on one of your spots, don’t be afraid; just get it checked out.

The Ugly Duckling

Remember the children’s picture game we would play, “Which of these things is not like the other?” When taking a gander at your body, look for the ugly duckling – the mark or mole that stands out and looks different from the others, especially if it falls under the ABCDE’s of Melanoma.

ADD's Downloadable Mole Map Guide

Look for:

A: Asymmetry — One half different from the other, or odd shaped

B: Border – Irregular border

C: Color – For example, tan and brown, black, sometimes, red, white or even blue

D: Diameter – Gotten larger than the width of a pencil eraser?

E: Evolved – A change in size, shape or color

Any of these are good reasons to head to your dermatologist. Maybe you’ll get a lollipop.