Most people should see a dermatologist because skin cancer is at epidemic proportions, according to many experts.  It is estimated that up to 1 in 5 Americans will get skin cancer at some point in their life.  With this high rate, it is best for each of us to get in the habit of monthly self-examinations.  Also, seeing a skin specialist, a dermatologist, annually is a wise step in early detection of skin cancer. 

Most cancers of the skin are easily treated if they are detected and treated early.  So plan on seeing a dermatologist each year, as it might very well be an investment in your future.  At DermacenterMD, we believe education is key to good health and success which is why we  give out our free ‘Skin Cancer Educational Guide’ to each patient.  Knowing what to look for can be a powerful tool in combating skin cancer.  

We would be honored to see you.  We want you looking and feeling great!

Call today us at (574)522-0265 for your skin cancer screening exam.

No referral necessary.

Did you know? There are actually clothes out there that have built in SPF to help better protect your skin. Several clothing companies are dedicated to crafting clothing that have an SPF of 50 and block 98% of UVA and UVB rays. They offer a wide range of clothes for women, men and children.

So how does it work? The clothes have SPF built right into the fabric. Covering your skin and having built-in SPF offers maximum protection from the sun. There are several companies to choose from that offer sun-protective clothing. Two very well-known companies are Solumbra and Coolibar. You can purchase shirts, hats, pants, accessories and exercise clothing. Check out their websites below:

Coolibar: www.coolibar.com

Solumbra: www.sunprecautions.com

However, it is still important to wear your sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen ensures that your skin will be protected. When you choose a sunscreen, be sure to read the label and make sure that it contains at least one of the following ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or parsol 1789 (avobenzone). Having these ingredients in your sunscreen will offer you the best protection from the UVB rays and the more harmful and deep penetrating UVA rays. When it comes to sunscreen, choosing a sunscreen with the right ingredients is essential, but the most important thing to remember is to apply ENOUGH sunscreen. Choosing an SPF of 30 or higher is idea and you should be applying 1 ounce or 2 tablespoons for the entire body. To get the most out of your sunscreen you should apply it 20 minutes before going out and then right before you go out into the sun. If you will be out for an extended period of time, be sure to reapply your sunscreen every 2 hours.

Protecting your skin from the sun is important! Enjoy the sun, but take the proper precautions to ensure you have a happy, healthy and bright future!

P.S. Don’t forget your shades and a hat! You’ll be looking stylish while also protecting your skin! You can’t go wrong with that!

A sunburn is the pink to red color our skin becomes as a warning sign and reaction to being in the sun too long.  Most of us have had at least one sunburn in our life.  Understanding why it happens and the possible consequences can help us avoid this harmful reaction in the future.

Sunburn is the skin’s response to an excess amount of ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun.   The skin initially does not turn pink right away, but rather it often loses moisture and can feel tight or painful.   The skin will begin to turn pink or red, which might not show up for hours after the exposure.  Often we do not realize what has happened to our skin until it is too late. 

Even as little as 10 minutes of intense UV exposer can burn the skin causing redness, tenderness and swelling.   In response to UV rays, the outer layer of skin produces a tanning pigment called melanin.  This melanin is a protective agent which blocks some of the harmful UV rays which normally penetrate the skin.  Some of the harmful rays can cause damage to the skin’s DNA which can ultimately lead to skin cancer. 

Sunburns can have harmful effects on the body, even years after exposure.  Science has shown that even a single blistering sunburn in childhood or adolescence more than doubles a person’s chances of developing melanoma later in life. A person’s risk for melanoma, the most serious and potentially fatal form of skin cancer, doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns. The two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are also directly related to sun accumulation over many years. The most common locations for these cancers are sun-exposed areas: the face, ears and hands.

It is so important to avoid sunburns if at all possible.  The most useful tip to avoid sunburn is to avoid the sun and protect the skin.   Wear sunscreen when you are outside, even for short periods.    Sunscreens with an SPF of at least 30 or higher which contain one of the following ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or parsol 1789 (avobenzone) are best.  Also protective clothing and avoiding the sun a when it is at the worst, typically 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is ideal.   Protecting your skin is essential to your health and well-being. Be sun smart this summer and protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun!

Interestingly enough,  the realm of cosmetic dermatology has been one of the pioneers in enhancing smiles.  This can be done in several ways depending on what is desired.

One of the most dramatic methods to improve the smile is to change the downward turning corners of the mouth most get as aging sets in.  This down turn in the corners of the mouth can actually make others see us as grumpy, sour or unhappy, when in reality we are not.  To get others to see us for who we are, Dr. Moore can inject a filler substance into the skin near the corners of the mouth.  This can reduce the shadow in this area and give a more relaxed and neutral or positive appearance.  This technique is often described as the method of turning a frown upside down. 

Botulinum toxin protein can also be injected into the muscles around the mouth or some which pull down on the corners of the mouth.  This can also help relax the corners allowing the lips to have a more happy appearance.

The long term application of topical retinoids in cream form, such as Retin A, can also improve the wrinkles and roughness of the skin around the mouth.  This improvement can yield a healthier smile.  

Laser therapy with our top-of-the line advanced system form Sciton can also improve texture, color, wrinkles and lines of the skin giving a more youthful appearance.  This may be combined with some of the items listed above to get more significant improvement.

Dr. Moore can find the right method to improve your smile so others around you see you as the wonderful and positive person that you are.   

If you interested in improving your smile today, call Dr. Moore at 574-522-0265 to set up a consultation to determine which methods will give you a happy, healthy and beautiful smile. 

See results below of what injectable fillers can do to improve a smile: 

Before: 

After:

Skin cancer is the most common cancer of all cancers today.   It is estimated that 1 in 3 Americans will have a skin cancer during their life time.  Over 3 million skin cancers are diagnosed each year.   The harmful rays of the sun contribute to the development of rough scaling precancer spots termed actinic keratosis,  basal cell carcinomas (BCC), squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), and  the deadly melanoma cancer.   Each of these growths can lead to bigger problems and require treatment.  Some cancers can even become life threatening.   Skin cancer prevention is a major reason to wear sunscreen.  

Which sunscreen should I buy?

The important point here is to buy a sunscreen you will wear.  This means the one which you tolerate best.  There are now sunscreens available in lotions, creams, sprays and powders (of which many active people who sweat prefer the powder).   Find the right product for your skin.  Then you need to pick the right ingredients.  All sunscreens block UV-B  the rays, which cause sunburn, but not all block UV-A rays.   In fact, only a few ingredients block UV-A rays and provide true broad spectrum coverage.  The strongest UV-A blockers are thought to be  Zinc Oxide, Titanium Dioxide, Parsol 1789 (Avobenzone) and Meroxyl.   Of these, Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are labeled as physical blockers which bounce the sun off the skin rather than absorb it, so many clinicians prefer these.  

 When do I need sunscreen?

The most important time to wear sunscreen is when the sun is intense.   This is mostly between 10 am and 2 pm. However,  a little known fact is that up to 85% of our sun exposure comes from incidental sun exposure.  This means the trips to the grocery store, work, etc. are the times we get most of our sun damage over a life time.   Though most of us don’t do this, we should wear sunscreen on a daily basis.   This would reduce dramatically our cumulative sun damage.

 So what SPF do I need?

This is better understood if you learn about SPF.  So please take a minute to read so you make the right decision.  SPF stands for sun protective factor.  More simply,  it is a laboratory measure indicating a person under lab conditions would take longer to burn as represented by the rating on the bottle.   An SPF of 15 used by someone who normally burns in 10 minutes at the noon time sun would take 15 times as long to burn (150 minutes) if using the sunscreen properly.     The SPF also dictates how much of the UV is blocked.    The amount of UV blocked for SPF 15 is 93%, for SPF 30 is 96.7%, and SPF 45 is 98.5%.   So wearing an SPF of 60 does not provide double the protection of SPF 30 but rather takes the SPF number from 96.7% closer to the 100% mark.  Thus many researchers indicate an SPF higher than 30 does not yield much more protection.   So use an SPF 30 or higher.