By now everyone knows. The sun can cause skin cancer. And how do we diagnose skin cancer? By looking at you! Total body exams are a very important part of what we do. With each exam, we are looking for precancerous and cancerous lesion. Being young doesn’t spare you either. During your exam we will also discuss ways of taking care of your skin to help prevent further damage. Many patients get yearly exams, but if you have a history of skin cancer or are at high risk we may recommend a more frequent visits.
We also treat the sun damage itself. In addition to traditional modalities, we offer PDT, or photodynamic therapy. We recommend PDT for the treatment of moderately to severely sun-damage that covers a broad area such as the scalp, face or arms and legs. It is an in-office procedure and is covered by insurance. Men who are thinning on top and have sun damage on their scalps are great candidates!
And, what to do about prevention? Sunscreen (we will help you pick a good one) and sun avoidance. Hats, clothes, umbrellas and staying inside! But we do live in California, and Californians like to be outside. We get it! Come in and we can design a plan that protects you and allows you to enjoy life.
