Melanoma May

Casey Overturf, PA-C

May 2023

Did you know May is nationally recognized as melanoma and skin cancer awareness month? That makes this the perfect time to educate our community on the most aggressive and deadly type of skin cancer, melanoma. Let’s learn how we can prevent and recognize this malignancy and, as a result, possibly save a life.

Can you believe as many as 1 in 50 Americans will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime? The good news is there are many ways to prevent it, so let’s start there. First, sun protection which includes wearing SPF 30+, a hat, and sunglasses when out in the sun is a great way to be proactive about preventing all types of skin cancer. These things seem obvious but are often forgotten or underrated. The key is avoiding sunburn, because an increased number of sunburns in your lifetime is one of the risk factors of melanoma. Second, be sure to schedule yearly skin exams with your dermatologist. During this time your provider may take photos of moles or areas of the body so that at your next visit they can compare and recognize changes. Lastly, I encourage you to do self-exams throughout the year and look for any new or changing moles. That’s right! By getting familiar with your skin, you could detect something like melanoma!

Now I hope I have you asking yourself, “what should I be looking for?” Something many patients are surprised to hear is that melanoma often presents as a new lesion. If you are familiar with your skin and your moles, this is an easy one. However, there are many noncancerous lesions that can pop up as we get older so new doesn’t always mean bad. Let’s talk about some different characteristics of melanoma which can be simplified with the mnemonic the ABCDEs.

1. Asymmetry – a benign (non-cancerous) mole is usually symmetrical, whereas melanoma is often irregular or asymmetrical in shape and/or color.
2. Borders – melanoma often has irregular, blurry, or jagged edges and hard-to-define border.
3. Color – many are varying shades of brown but could also be blue, black, tan, grey, pink, and red: up to 50% of melanomas include these other colors.
4. Diameter – larger than 6 mm (1/4 inch) in diameter, but with early detection they are often found when they are smaller than this.
5. Evolving – a change in size, color, shape, or structure may be noted over months to years. However, it may be reassuring to know melanoma accounts for less than 3% of all changing skin lesions.
6. In recent years dermatologists have added “F” to stand for “funny looking”. Sometimes melanoma doesn’t fall into the above categories, and it just looks different from your other moles. This would also be something worth bringing up to your dermatologist.

Lastly, it is important to know the treatment options for melanoma have come a long way in the past few years and it is very treatable. The key to a good prognosis is early detection! I encourage you to check out Melanoma.org for more information and don’t forget to schedule your next skin exam.

Featured Products

ISDIN Hydralift

An intensive facial serum to rejuvenate and energize skin, containing plant-based stem cell extract, peptides, antioxidants and hyaluronic acid. Hydralift harnesses the power of apple stem cell extract to help promote healthy cell turnover, improving skin firmness, texture and hydration, while softening the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Benefits

• Restores firmness and elasticity, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Improves overall skin hydration levels to offer a visibly smoother, softer complexion.
• Energizes the skin with antioxidants, helping fight the daily damage caused by oxidative stress.

ISDIN Hyaluronic Concentrate

Hyaluronic Concentrate is a water-gel serum that treats your skin to deep hydration, providing both a plumping and smoothing effect with a satin finish. Formulated with a mix of hyaluronic acids, BioMarine extract, skin-firming peptides, and lentil extract, add this serum to your daily routine for soft, radiant skin.

Benefits

• Dive into smooth, plump skin with this daily serum, designed to lock in moisture and combat the visible signs of skin aging.
• A multi-functional mix of hyaluronic acids helps provide deep and surface-level hydration, resulting in all-around supple skin.
• A mix of marine-derived extract and peptides plump up the skin and help soften fine lines and wrinkles for a more youthful-looking complexion.
• Lentil extract helps reduce the appearance of pores, while the serum’s silky texture provides an ultra-smooth look and feel.