Petra Rietschel MD Offers Skin Care Tips

 

Taking good care of your skin not only helps you look younger and healthier; it can also protect you from certain skin cancers. While proper skin care won't necessarily prevent skin cancers such as melanoma or basal cell carcinoma, it does do a lot to reduce risk, notes oncologist Petra Rietschel, MD. If you are particularly concerned about skin cancer, you might consider genetic testing to determine your risk.

Dealing with the Sun

Skin cancers occur when the DNA in a cell is damaged and the cells begin to grow in an uncontrolled fashion. What triggers the DNA damage isn't clear; there is evidence that exposure to ultraviolet light often causes damage that leads to the development of skin cancers including melanoma. Protecting your skin from exposure to UV light, including the rays from the sun, is one way to ward off cancer and to keep your skin youthful longer.

The easiest way to protect your skin from sun exposure is to avoid going outside during daylight hours. Since avoiding the outdoors when the sun is shining isn't always possible, it's best to at least aim to stay inside between the hours of 10 am and 4 pm, when the sun is at its strongest.

Wear sunscreen everyday, even on days when the sun is nowhere to be seen. You want to a use a broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 30. Broad spectrum means it blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply the sunscreen often throughout the day, especially if you are outside or swimming.

Your clothing can also provide some protection against sunlight. Dark, tightly woven clothing offers a higher level of protection than loosely knit light colored clothing. Some brands of clothing are produced with a special built-in ultraviolet protection factor (UPF).

A hat with a wide brim can protect the skin on your face. Ideally, the brim will go around the entire head, not just the front. Straw hats don't offer as much protection as fabric hats.

You'll also want to protect your eyes to reduce the risk of cancer. Melanoma can develop in the eyes, though it is very rare. Sunglasses that have UV protection will not only shield the eyes, they'll also protect the skin in the eye area.

Regular Check Ups

Another part of a skin care routine should be regular skin check ups. Seeing a dermatologist each year for a mole check is a good idea. It's also up to you to keep an eye on your skin. If you see anything strange or notice that something's changed, talk to a doctor. Keeping an eye on your skin is especially important if you have a history of skin cancer or a family history of cancer.

If you do have a family history of skin cancer, you might also consider genetic testing. Genetic testing isn't something to approach lightly. Petra Rietschel MD notes that many doctors don't recommend it, as the results don't necessarily tell a person what his or her risk is.

Types of Skin Lesions

Many different types of lesions can appear on the skin. While some lesions are harmless, or benign, others are a form of cancer. If a patient develops a lesion on their skin that concerns them, they should make an appointment with a doctor. A doctor will examine and possibly biopsy the lesion to determine what it is.

Benign Lesions

A number of lesions are of no cause for concern to a patient or doctor. Patients may want to monitor these lesions to make sure they are in fact benign, though. Although harmless, some benign lesions can be irritating or can affect a person's self confidence and might need to be removed.

●      Seborrheic keratoses. Seborrheic keratoses are the most common form of benign lesions on the skin. Three factors identify a seborrheic keratosis: greasy appearance, brown color, and scaliness. The cause of these lesions isn't known, though they do appear in older adults far more frequently than in children. If the lesions are bothering a patient, they can be cut off or removed using cryotherapy.

●      Ephilides. Ephilides is the medical term for freckles. Although benign, a lot of freckles can suggest that a person's skin has been damaged by the sun and that he or she is at an increased risk for melanoma. Ephilides aren't usually treated medically, though people who are bothered by their freckles can apply a cream to attempt to lighten them.

●      Nevus. A nevus is a mole. It's an area of growth marked by hyperpigmentation. Although usually benign, an atypical nevus can be a precursor to melanoma in a patient. If the risk of cancer is suspected, a patient's mole may be biopsied and removed.

Cancerous Lesions

 

Some lesions that develop on the skin are a form of skin cancer. While melanoma is perhaps the most recognized form of skin cancer, there are several other forms as well. The most frequent form of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma. A basal cell lesion usually forms on the parts of skin that are exposed to the sun.

Basal cell lesions can look like a scaly patch on the skin or like a waxy bump. The bump may be white or brown, depending on a person's skin color. Usually, the lesions bleed and look like scabs or sores that just won't heal. Some types of basal cell carcinomas look like scars. Although the scar-like lesions look innocent, they can actually be a sign that an invasive form of the cancer is developing.

Understanding Melanoma

Although there are several different types of skin cancer, melanoma is the most deadly and severe. Melanoma is a type of cancer that forms in the cells that are responsible for pigment in the skin, the melanocytes. The cancer usually responds to treatment well if caught by doctors such as Petra Rietschel, MD early enough. If not treated or detected quickly, the cancer can spread to other organs in the body.

Signs and Symptoms of Melanoma

Melanoma is usually associated with exposure to the sun. But, melanoma can develop on any part of the skin, even in areas that are not usually exposed to the sun, such as the skin on the bottom of the feet or in the nail beds. So-called hidden melanomas tend to develop on people who have darker colored skin.

The signs of melanoma can be spotted using an ABCDE mnemonic. The "A" stands for asymmetrical. Moles that are unusually shaped should be examined by a dermatologist or other doctor, as they may be cancerous.

The "B" stands for border. Moles with an irregular border, such as a bumpy or scalloped border might be a cause for concern. "C" stands for color. Non-cancerous moles or lesions are usually a single color while potentially cancerous lesions are uneven in color or multi-colored. Some might be blue or red.

The "D" refers to diameter, or the size of the mole. Larger moles, such as those bigger than 1/4 inch are usually a cause for concern and should be examined by a doctor. Size isn't always an indicator, though, as some melanomas start out small.

Finally, the "E" stands for evolving. Cancerous moles will change in some way as time goes on. A mole might start bleeding or develop a crust, for example. It can change color, shape, or grow in size. If a mole is a suspected melanoma, a doctor might take a picture of it and compare the photo to any changes at a later appointment.

Who is at Risk

Certain habits increase a person's risk for melanoma. A person might also have an increased risk due to family history or skin type. For example, people with lighter skin are usually at greater risk for developing melanoma. That does not mean that darker skinned people are immune from the cancer. In addition to having light skin, having a lot of moles on the skin raises risk.

Exposure to the sun is a major risk factor in developing melanoma. People who are out in the sun without protection frequently are more likely to develop the cancer. Sun exposure also includes spending time in tanning beds or other UV ray exposure. Having a history of severe, blistering sunburns also increases risk, as does living in a sunny part of the world, such as near the equator.

Family history plays a role in melanoma risk as well. 10 percent of patients with melanoma have a family member who also had the disease. Having a parent or sibling with melanoma increases a person's risk for the cancer by 50 percent.