We all know the term “SPF” as “Sun Protection Factor,” a metric that tells us how well a sunscreen protects against UVB rays and prevents us from getting a sunburn. Now Dr. Rajanala, a Fellow at SkinCare Physicians, and Dr. Arndt propose a new meaning for this acronym to help us summarize the top three methods of skin cancer prevention, in conjunction with skin self-exams and regular visits with the dermatologist. Skin cancer is by far the most common cancer in the United States, and with its rising rate, it is important to take a multi-faceted approach to protect skin … Continue reading »
Skin cancer is by far the most common cancer in the country. If you added up all of the other cancers in this country, they still would not equal the number of skin cancers we see each year. Last year alone, there were more than 5 million skin cancer cases treated in the United States. In fact, 1 in every 5 Americans will develop a skin cancer by the age of 70. We treat well over 2,000 skin cancers each year at SkinCare Physicians near Boston and Dr. Thomas Rohrer, a Mohs surgery expert, wants you to know how to … Continue reading »
Mohs surgery is a specialized technique which removes skin cancers in a very systematic and logical manner. It achieves the highest cure rate and leaves the smallest possible area to reconstruct after the skin cancer has been removed. The basic principle behind the Mohs’ technique is to remove the entire skin cancer without taking any more normal skin than is absolutely necessary. As SkinCare Physicians’ Mohs surgeon, Dr. Thomas Rohrer likes to say, it removes the skin cancer, the whole skin cancer, and nothing but the skin cancer. Here is your brief guide to Mohs surgery: what it is and … Continue reading »
Many of Dr. Robin Travers’ patients at SkinCare Physicians ask her if there are any vitamins or supplements they can take to improve the health of their skin. She has answered, honestly, that there aren’t many carefully controlled scientific studies that prove that vitamins have any benefit for the skin. That may be changing! In the ONTRAC (Oral Nicotinamide to Reduce Actinic Cancer) study, Australian researchers showed that nicotinamide, an inexpensive and easily available form of vitamin B3, significantly reduces the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancers among people who have already had a basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. … Continue reading »
January is typically the time when many people embark on a set of New Year’s resolutions. Are yours involving a skin exam, or better a couple skin exam? Here is why two is better than one when it comes to skin exams. Two is better than one when it comes to skin exams There are good medical research studies to show us that teaching partners how to assist each other in partner-assisted skin self-examinations helps improve skin cancer detection. And may help save a life! Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US. This year, almost … Continue reading »
Melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer, but the good news is that survival rates are high if it is detected and treated early. To help her patients to detect melanoma, Boston dermatologist Dr. Tania Phillips gives them a simple list of questions to answer and asks them to remember their ABCDEs. Are you at risk for melanoma? If you answer YES to one or more of the following questions, you might be more likely to develop melanoma and we recommend that you get your skin examined regularly by a dermatologist. However, it does not mean that you will get melanoma. … Continue reading »
We often hear that the difference between major surgery and minor surgery is if it is happening to you or to someone else. In the case of Mohs surgery for skin cancer, that say should not apply. Here is why… More than three million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. That is more than all other cancers combined. In fact, one out of every five Americans will develop skin cancer within their lifetime. Fortunately, more than 90% of skin cancers are easily curable. The most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma … Continue reading »
