“You’re getting warmer! Hot! Hot!” Do you remember playing the “Hot/Cold” game as a child? This fun pastime teaches us a critical lesson; that feedback is an important aspect of any practice. When we go it alone, we are essentially walking blind. The best of the best earn their stellar reputation not through talent alone, […]
Because one-third of all cancer diagnoses each year are categorized as skin cancer, it falls upon general practitioners and dermatologists to use diagnosis techniques that offer the highest degree of accuracy. Non-melanoma skin cancers rarely present the risk of mortality, but they can have devastating effects due to disfigurement. This is why early and accurate […]
Skin cancer continually outnumbers diagnoses of other forms of cancer. This type of cancer is expected to affect 1 in 5 people, even with the marked increase in awareness of the dangers of UV exposure. As easy as it is to minimize the risk of skin cancer, it seems to be equally effortless to neglect […]
There is an interesting thing that happens with some patients when they are faced with a skin cancer diagnosis, especially one that was not expected: denial. Dermatologists often hear questions from their patients wondering if a growth needs to be removed. This may be a visible growth on the face that is still small and […]
One of the basic aspects of dermatologic care is educating patients regarding sun protection. Discernment is crucial for the physician who is committed to the highest quality of care, and this can mean spending a lot of time educating ourselves about sunscreen use. In many cases, we rely on the fundamentals such as “use a […]
Patients who even suspect a skin cancer diagnosis will be handed to them are in a state of anxiety the moment their skin cancer screening begins. What they want, long before they have the ability to articulate it, is closure. Now, when we say closure, we mean they want to put this whole, messy situation […]
We all know that a great deal of the value of skin cancer treatments stems from our ability to obtain an accurate diagnosis early after the formation of a suspicious lesion. Many of today’s patients understand this, as well. Interestingly enough, the fear of hearing those words, skin cancer, spoken about their skin is enough to […]
None of us would think it is wise to hop in the car and drive down the road on flat tires. And yet, this could be exactly the way that one goes about protecting him or herself from UV damage: half-hearted, to say the least. According to research, even those who are religious about their […]
Any skin cancer diagnosis can be heartbreaking for a patient. So many questions come to mind that it may be difficult to articulate them right away. Patients rely on their physicians for answers – sometimes to questions they don’t even know they have. For instance, today’s dermatologist is expected to know about Mohs surgery. More […]
In our last post, we discussed the necessity for sunscreen use. More specifically, what we should look for when choosing an appropriate sunscreen. The value in any sun-protective product does not lie in an ultra-high SPF. Rather than a high number, consumers should look for wording that ensures they are getting the broad-spectrum protection they […]