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Acne
Skin Cancer
Warts
Skin Safety
What causes acne?
Changes in hormones due to
puberty, childbirth, menopause, or stopping oral contraceptives are the major
cause of acne.
Cleaning the face too much
or products such as oil based cosmetics or lotions on the skin may irritate the skin, making acne worse.
Acne is not caused by food;
however some people may have sensitivities to certain foods, making acne worse.
How is it treated?
For common conditions such
as pimples, or whiteheads and blackheads, over the counter treatment can be
used. Washing the face with a mild soap
to remove bacteria and allowing pimples to heal on their own, without picking
them is usually the best treatment. Sometimes an over the counter cream containing benzoyl peroxide may help
a pimple heal faster.
For more serious acne see a
determatologist who may prescribe topical creams or lotions or oral treatment
such as antibiotics or hormones. Microdermabrasion, light chemical peels, or injections of
corticosteroids may also be used to get rid of acne problems more quickly.
An estimated one million Americans develop skin cancer every year. Skin Cancer is the most prevalent of all types of cancers.
Fair
skinned people who sunburn easily
Repeated
medical/industrial x-ray exposure
Scarring
from diseases or burns
Occupational
exposure to coal, tar or arsenic
Family
history
Actinic Keratoses (AK)
Actinic Keratoses are considered the earliest form of skin cancer. The spots are small and scaly and are most commonly found on the face, ears, neck, lower arms, and back of the hands in fair-skinned individuals who have had significant sun exposure.
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer and appears frequently on the head, neck, and hands as a small fleshy bump, nodule or red patch but can appear on other parts of the body. BCCs are most commonly found on fair skinned individuals, rarely occur in those with dark skin and do not develop quickly, taking as long as several years to grow to a diameter of a half inch. If untreated the cancer may begin to bleed, crust over, heal and repeat the cycle.
This is the second most common skin cancer. SCC is most commonly found in fair skinned people and rarely in dark skinned individuals. Typically this cancer appears on the rim of the ear, the face, lips or mouth, this cancer may appear as a bump, or as a red, scaly patch. It can develop into large masses and become invasive. This form of cancer can metastasize, therefore it is important to get early treatment.
Malignant Melanoma is the most deadly of all skin cancers. Each year and estimated 7,700 Americans will die from melanoma; it is projected that more than 46,000 Americans will develop melanoma annually. The good news: The death rate is declining due to early detection and treatment.
Melanoma may appear suddenly or begin in or near a mole or other dark spot on the skin. That is why it is important to know the location and appearance of the moles on the body to detect any changes when they occur. Any changing mole must be examined by a dermatologist. Early melanoma can be removed while still in the curable stage.
Excessive sun exposure, especially sunburn, is the most important preventable cause of melanoma. Higher risk individuals include those who:
- Are light skinned
- Whose family has a history of melanoma
- Individuals with atypical moles
- Individuals with a lot of moles
Warning signs of melanoma:
- Changes in the surface of a mole
- Scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a new bump
- Spread of pigment from the border of a mole into surrounding skin
- Change in sensation including itchiness, tenderness, or pain
Know the ABCDEs of Melanoma:
Asymmetry – One half of the mole does not match the other half of the mole, or if you drew a line through the mole the two halves would not match.
Border – the borders of early melanoma tend to be uneven. They appear ragged, scalloped, notched or poorly defined.
Color – a variety of colors is another warning sign, a number of different shades can occur, including brown, tan, black and less commonly red, whit or blue. The pigmentation is not uniform.
Diameter – melanomas usually are larger in diameter than the size of the eraser on your pencil (1/4 inch or 6mm), but may sometimes be smaller when first detected.
Evolving – if a mole seems to be evolving or changing, see a doctor. Any change-in size, shape, color, elevation, or another trait, or any new symptom like bleeding, itching or crusting-points to danger.
Assymetrical 
Symetrical
Uneven Borders
Even Borders
2 or More Shades 
One Shade
Larger than1/4in 
Smallerr than 1/4 in
Common Warts
These are most common on the
fingers and back of the hand, places where skin has been broken. They are usually skin colored and rough to
the touch.
Plantar Warts
Plantar warts or foot warts
appear on the soles of the feet. When
they grow in a cluster, they are known as mosaic warts. Pressure from walking flattens these warts
and pushes them back into the skin. They
often have black dots which are blood vessels feeding them. Often, these warts are painful.
Flat Warts
Flat warts tend to grow in
large patches from 20-100 at a time. In
children they are most common on the face, in men on the beard area, and in
women on the legs. However, they can
appear anywhere. These warts are smaller
and smoother than others.
Genital Warts
Genital warts can occur on
the genitalia, inside the vagina, the cervix, around the anus, or within the
rectum. These warts are small and flat
but can be thin and tall and are softer than other warts. The strand of the virus that causes these
warts does not cause warts on the hands or feet but can cause warts in the
mouth. This virus is transmitted
sexually.
Treatment
Warts tend to eventually
disappear on their own and it is usually not necessary to have them treated
except for genital warts and plantar warts. Plantar warts may cause pain and discomfort in the foot. Genital warts increase the possibility of
skin cancer and cervical cancer in women.
Common warts can usually be treated at home with a low strength
salicyclic acid applied to the wart. Dermatologist can treat the wart with cryotherapy (freezing) or
electrosurgery (burning).
Plantar warts are more difficult to treat because most of the wart
is beneath the skin. Chemical treatments
or surgical treatments such as electro surgery, laser surgery, or cutting may
be used.
Because flat warts are so numerous, they can not be treated with typical methods. Peeling methods using chemicals such as salicylic
acid applied daily is usually recommended.
Public health professionals have warned people about the dangers of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, tanning beds and sun lamps. Ultraviolet A (UVA) and Ultraviolet B (UVB) are two types of ultraviolet radiation. UVB has long been associated with sunburns, however research links UVA radiation with deeper penetrating radiation and links it with malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
Sun Protection
Protecting the skin from UV rays will help prevent damage, wrinkles, and reduce the risk of cancer. The American Academy of of Dermatology recommends that you avoid deliberate sunbathing, wear a wide brimmed hat, sunglasses and protective clothing. If being in the sun is necessary for your activities or work, use a broad spectrum of sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 even on cloudy days.
Tips for Sun Protection:
- Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 on all exposed skin, including the lips, even on cloudy days.
- If exposed to water, either through swimming or sweating, a water-resistant sunscreen should be used.
- Reapply sunscreen frequently – every 1 ½ hours, more often if sunny or heavily perspiring.
- Wear a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
- seek shade whenever possible.
- Wear protective, tightly-woven clothing.
- Plan outdoor activities early or late in the day to avoid peak sunlight hours between 10 am and 4 pm.
Sun screen and sun blocks
These work by absorbing, reflecting, or scattering the sun’s rays on the skin. They come in many forms and are labeled with SPF numbers. The higher the SPF the greater protection from sunburns. Broad-spectrum sunscreens reflect both UVA and UVB rays and do a better job of protecting skin from other effects of the sun.
Sunscreens are not sufficient protection against UV rays, avoiding peak sun hours during the day is where your skin protection should begin.
Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes prior to going outside and be reapplied each 1 ½ hours or after swimming, towel drying or perspiring. It should also be applied generously and evenly so to get the most coverage possible. Self tanners are a safe alternative to the sun, but sun screen should be used in addition to these tanners.
Additional Information about Sun Protection
The greatest sun damage occurs between 10 am and 4 pm, when the sun’s rays are strongest. Protective measures should be taken even on cloudy days when it doesn’t feel hot.
It takes a collaborative effort to keep your skin safe. No one method is completely safe, it takes a combination of sunscreen, protective clothing, sunglasses, hats and shade to keep your skin from receiving long lasting damaging UV rays.