Dermatologists are the most highly trained skin specialists in all of medicine.

Board certified dermatologist often have a four year undergraduate degree, then they go through four years of medical school and finally complete a 4 year residency in dermatology  (most have completed 12 years of school).  The board certification process entails passing a rigorous examination as well as maintaining appropriate continuing education credits.

The dermatology residency program is one of the most competitive positions in the medical field, therefore a dermatologist is often one of the top students in the medical school academically.

The residency training to become a dermatologist is rigorous and challenging.  It consists of hands on time in the clinic and subspecialty clinics for dermatology, academic lectures, case presentations, research, skin surgery rotations and quite a bit of study time (as there are over 2,800 skin conditions).  

Dermatologists are trained in most every aspect of the skin, hair and nails.  

Requirements for mastery of topics include interpretation and diagnosis of skin diseases, the pathology of skin diseases and also diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.   Some dermatologists attain advanced training and certification in the most advanced treatment modality for skin cancer, termed Mohs Micrographic Surgery.  This advanced technique is used almost exclusively by dermatologists because it requires in-depth knowledge in pathology of the skin as well as advanced skin surgical training. 

No other area of medicine is as highly trained in diagnosis and treatment of skin problems or skin cancer.

At DermacenterMD we are proud to offer the services of a board certified dermatologist, Dr. Roger Moore, who is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology as well as the American Society of Mohs Surgery.  Dr. Moore is the first to provide Mohs Micrographic Surgery to Elkhart County and continues to be a leader in cosmetic, medical and surgical dermatology.   In addition, he has been volunteer faculty at Indiana University School of Medicine and hosted dermatology and family practice residents for lectures and rotations.   He is also the founder and president of Dermwise, Inc., a company designed to provide dermatology education to those who are not dermatologists. 

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Moore please give our office a call at 574-522-0265 today.

Today is a special day to remind us just how important it is that we protect our skin from the sun. Today is Melanoma Monday, and the aim of this day is to raise awareness of the most deadly form of skin cancer. The entire month of May is National Skin Cancer Awareness Month and it is important to understand that everyone, despite age, race or skin type is at risk for skin cancer. In fact, 1 in 5 Americans will have skin cancer at some point in their life. Skin cancer is common and it could happen to you. However, there are ways to prevent skin cancer and reduce your risk. Here are 5 different ways you can protect your skin from developing skin cancer:

1. Wear Sunscreen-

This is perhaps the most important of all the ways to prevent skin cancer. You should be wearing sunscreen 365 days a year! The sun beats down on on us each and every day, even if we don't see it. You should be sure to apply sunscreen whenever you go out. When selecting your daily sunscreen, be sure to get an SPF of at least 30 and make sure it contains at least one of these ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or parsol 1789 (avobenzone). Also, it is important to apply enough sunscreen when you go out. If you are going out for an extended period of time, you should be applying 2 tablespoons of sunscreen every 2 hours.

2. Avoid Sun-

If you forget your sunscreen, you will want to avoid the sun as much as possible. Wearing a hat and long sleeves and long pants will also help to reduce your sun exposure. It is important to know that the sun is hottest between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., so you should seek shade whenever possible, especially between those hours.

3. Check your skin monthly-

Skin cancer is treated most easily when it is caught early. If you set aside time every month to check your skin, you will know if something suspicious shows up. Checking your skin monthly allows you to catching anything unusual early and then get in to see your dermatologist as soon as possible. When checking your own skin, don't forget to look in hard to see places like your scalp, back, bottoms of your feet and between your toes. You may ask someone who cares about you to help you in this process to ensure that every inch is checked.

4. Know what to look for-

When you check your skin it is important that you know the signs of skin cancer. The most important thing to remember is that if you have a new or changing mole or lesion, you should have it checked. The following diagram contains the ABCDE's of melanoma:

5. Annual Full-Body Skin Exam-

Last but certainly not least, it is essential to have your skin checked by a skin professional at least once a year. Your dermatologist knows what to look for. In fact, Dr. Moore is a skin cancer expert. He will look you over head to toe to ensure that nothing is suspicious. If he does find something suspicious, he will most likely perform a procedure known as a biopsy to test the site to make sure it does not contain skin cancer. If he does find skin cancer, you can rest easy knowing you are in good hands. Here at DermacenterMD, we offer to most comprehensive and state of the art treatments for skin cancer.

If you or someone you know is concerned about skin cancer, do not hesitate to call our office and set up your skin cancer screening exam. It could save your life, or the life of someone you love!

Call today! 574-522-0265. No referral is necessary.

It can be so tempting when the weather is finally beautiful and the sun is out in full strength after a long hard winter to spend as much time outside as possible. You just want to be outside all the time, and there is nothing wrong with that. However, many people do not fully understand that the sun can be very detrimental to your health. The rays of the sun can damage your skin and cause wrinkles, pigmentation and even skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in the U.S. today. It can even be deadly. It is vital to your health and the health of your family that you take the proper precautions when you will be exposed to the sun.

First and foremost, the best line of defense if you are going to be in the sun is wearing sunscreen. It is recommended that you use a sunscreen of at least 30 spf. This will effectively block out 97% of UVB rays. It is best to apply sunscreen about a half hour before you go out into the sun and then again right before you go out. This will provide you with the best protection possible. Another important aspect to remember is to choose the correct ingredients in your sunscreen. You will want to select a sunscreen that contains one of the following ingredients: titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or parsol 1789 (avobenzone). These ingredients will ensure that you are protected against UVB and UVA rays, which can cause damage to the skin.

Another way to protect yourself from the sun is to avoid it all together. Stay out of the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is at its hottest. Seek shade whenever possible and wear protective clothing. Melanoma is a serious form of cancer that can be deadly. You increase your risk of skin cancer substantially when you expose yourself to the sun without protection. So remember next time you are heading out for a fun day in the sun, that it is imperative to protect yourself from the damaging rays you will be exposed to. I dare you to avoid the sun and take the proper precautions if you will be exposed. It could save your life.

Do you suffer from acne and often find that your treatment regimine can cause irritation? Many topical acne treatments have the potential to be drying to the skin.  Add in hot, dry warmer weather and sometimes the regimen you were using is suddenly causing your skin to be red and dry.  The following guidelines are recommended year-round for acne treatments, but are especially important during these warmer and sunny months to keep your acne treatment on track without causing irritation.

1.  WAIT –Wait at least 30 minutes after washing your face before applying your medication.

When there is increased moisture in the skin, the amount of product absorbed by your skin increases.  In the case of some treatments (such as those used for rashes), this helps the medication work better.  However, in the case of many acne medications, this increases the likelihood that you will experience irritation.  Also considering swapping your face wash. If you have sensitive skin, a gentle skin cleanser such as Cetaphil or Cerave to get your skin clean while minimizing irritation. 

      2.  APPLY- Apply a very thin layer of medication to the affected area.

More is not better –in fact, too much product will be more irritating and could delay improvement.  For the entire face, you should use no more than a pea-sized amount of product, taking care to avoid the eye area and folds around the nose and mouth.

      3. MOISTURIZE- If you are experiencing dryness, use a lightweight moisturizer .

Even acne prone skin sometimes needs help in the moisture department.  A moisturizer that is formulated not to clog pores can really help keep your skin in good condition while treating acne.  Look for moisturizers that state “non-comedogenic”  or “non-acnegenic.”  Cerave and Cetaphil are two brands that make lotions that would be excellent for acne-prone skin.   In some cases, applying a moisturizer before applying the topical will help make an acne medication more tolerable, others find it more helpful to apply after applying the medication or use the following morning.

      4. MODIFY-  If your regimen is too drying to use daily, modify how you are applying your treatments

If you are getting too dry, it is best to hold on your acne topical and use a moisturizer only until the irritation resolves.  When you resume treatment, try modifying how often you are using the medication.  Start with every other day, or treat for 2 days and hold for one day to see if this is better tolerated.  As stated above, sometimes applying a moisturizer first will also help make a product more tolerable during dry and warm weather.  Some products can be used as short contact therapy (also called “SCT”) where the product is used as a mask – apply to clean skin, leave on for 5-10 minutes, rinse with warm water and then apply a moisturizer.  Short contact therapy provides a way to deliver a small amount of medication to the skin. 

      5. CALL – Most importantly, if you are experiencing an adverse reaction to your treatment, give us a call. 

At DermacenterMD, we want your treatment to help your acne, not cause another problem for your skin.  If you are experiencing an adverse reaction, we will work with you to help you figure out what modifications can be made to make your regimen work. Call our office today at 574-522-0265 if you have any questions or concerns about your treatment or wish to recieve treatment for acne.

Can indoor tanning increase my risk of skin cancer?

People sometimes use indoor tanning in the belief that this will prevent burns when they tan outdoors. However, indoor tanning raises the risk of developing melanoma even if a person has never had burns from either indoor or outdoor tanning, according to a study published May 29 in the JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

To test the hypothesis that indoor tanning without burns prevents sunburn and subsequent skin cancer, researchers at the Masonic Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, and Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis used data from a case-control study on indoor tanning and the risk of melanoma. The researchers had detailed information on indoor tanning and sun exposure for the study participants and excluded those who experienced a burn while tanning indoors.

A total of 1167 melanoma patients were matched to 1101 control subjects by sex and age. All participants completed a questionnaire and telephone interview. In analyses adjusted for sociodemographic factors (eg., age, sex, income, education), eye, hair, and skin color, number of freckles and moles, family history of melanoma, and lifetime sun exposure and sunscreen use, they found that melanoma patients reporting zero lifetime burns were nearly four times more likely to be indoor tanners than control subjects. In addition, melanoma patients with zero sunburns reported having started tanning indoors at younger ages and used indoor tanning over more years than other patients who had experienced sunburn, suggesting that greater total exposure contributed to the findings.

The researchers write that their results demonstrate "…that indoor tanning, even when used in a way that does not produce burns, is a risk factor for melanoma."

Source: Oxford University Press USA. (2014, May 28). Indoor tanning, even without burning, increases the risk of melanoma. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 16, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140528163743.htm