WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON PATIENT
AILMENTS SEEN IN YOUR
DERMATOLOGY OFFICE?
We call acne and warts the bread and butter of dermatology. They’re very common. We see a lot of those two
afflictions as well as eczema, psoriasis and skin cancer.
Skin cancer is, of course, a big one for us; Screening
people and following those who’ve had skin cancer
and melanoma. Melanoma is unfortunately on the rise
with people spending so much time in tanning beds.
If a patient comes to us with melanoma, we typically
send them out of office for further examination and
study. We want them to understand the gravity of the
situation. Then they return for regular follow-up and
ongoing screening.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
LESS THREATENING SKIN CANCERS AND
MELANOMA?
There are three main kinds of skin cancer.
There is basal cell carcinoma, which is a slow growing
cancer. But, it will continue to grow if you don’t seek
treatment. Basal cell carcinoma can usually be controlled
easily by surgery and is mostly caused by sun exposure.
Squamous cell carcinoma is a little bit worse. That has
more of a potential to spread through out the body, especially in patients who are dealing with other types of
cancers, chemotherapy or diseases which may suppress
the immune system. There’s also a lot of sun exposure
involved in that.
Melanoma is the very worst type of skin cancer. People
die from it routinely. A lot of times, it’s not picked up
on until it’s too late. Melanoma is typically noticeable
first as a pigmented lesion (brown or black skin spots).
Those cells multiply and they can very rapidly enter the
blood stream or lymphatic system and spread to other
areas of the body. That rapid spreading of cancer cells
is what is so deadly.
IS MELANOMA MOST COMMONLY CAUSED
BY TANNING BEDS?
Tanning beds have drastically increased the incidence
of melanoma. We’re also seeing younger and younger
patients diagnosed with melanoma. I saw a girl yesterday
who had her first diagnosis of melanoma at age 21, and
she used tanning beds regularly.
If you’re 14 or under and want to use a tanning bed,
your parents have to sign a permission slip. But once
they do, there’s no limit to how often kids can go. Excess use leads to these cancers and melanomas, not to
mention really drastic aging of the skin. Using tanning
beds regularly makes you look 10 or 20 years older than
you actually are. That’s really our big push. Tanning beds
are never acceptable.
Also, when people are outdoors, they should protect
themselves from the sun. I love to play tennis outdoors
but you have to protect yourself with clothing, sunscreen and choosing the hours you go out wisely. Try
to limit the time you spend outside from 10 a.m. to 4
p.m. as those are the hours of the day with the most
ultraviolet exposure from the sun.
CAN SKIN CANCER APPEAR EVEN IF A
PATIENT HAS BEEN WELL PROTECTED FROM
THE SUN?
My elderly patients will often come in with a lesion on
their arm but say something like ‘I never go out in the
sun anymore.’ I say, ‘Yes, but you did.’
I use this analogy which rea