1st Person Account: a Melanoma Diagnosis.
Isabella, a fifty-year-old mother of two saw me last year for a dark spot on her cheek that concerned her. Fair skinned and having spent many a summer tanning by the local pool; I recognized her skin lesion to be new and suspicious on clinical examination. A skin biopsy was performed and it was bad news: Melanoma.
Fortunately for Isabella, it was early melanoma detection and subsequent wide local excision with cosmetic reconstruction was expected to be curative.
A skin biopsy was performed and it was bad news: Melanoma.
I see patients like Isabella on a regular basis and the one common thread in their individual stories are that most are fair skinned and they report extensive sun exposure. The damaging effects of the sun on skin are well documented in medical journals and national media. They start out as discolorations, wrinkles, and loss of skin elasticity, and progress to skin cancers such as Basal Cell Carcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, and Melanoma. Natural skin pigmentation affords a level of protection to skin and therefore, fair skinned individuals are at greater risk of developing complications from sun exposure. Not surprisingly, smoking appears to amplify the harmful effects of sun exposure on skin.
Public health awareness campaigns such as the May Skin Cancer Awareness Month are having a positive impact on educating the general population on the harmful effects of sun exposure on skin. The important thing to note is that indoor tanning is just as harmful as sun tanning, and should be avoided. Skin protection with sunscreens such as Dermelect Sun Protection Treatments will help reduce the harmful effects of sun on your skin. Remember the key is to reapply sunscreen throughout the day, and use SPF20 or greater. For those of you who spent your formative years tanning, I recommend close evaluation of your skin. If you develop any new skin lesions, especially pigmented lesions that show dark color, irregular borders, and uneven pigmentation, consult with your doctor. Early detection of skin cancers make subsequent treatment and a cure much more effective.
Enjoy May and have a great “sun-protected” summer!
Dr. Maurice Khosh MD, FACS is an Assistant Clinical Professor at Columbia University, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is a member of the Dermelect Board of Advisors (DBA). Find out more at: www.facedoctornyc.com.
I have a mole on my face that falls in category A, B, and C. It also sometimes itches or gets swollen (I personally dont know what that means, if anything)
When I was younger my Derm wanted to refer me to a plastic surgeon to have it removed and tested. Unfortunately, my family moved us away soon after.
Now, a few years later Ive visited two derms who have little/no concern of the mole. Im not sure what to believe.