Skin cancer prevention can be as easy or as complicated as you make it. Prevention techniques can range from limiting time in the outdoors to making sure you apply plenty of sunscreen to having regular dermatologist check-ups. Living in Colorado and being exposed to sunlight 300 days out of the year makes it extremely important to understand the harsh effects of the sun while also understanding the steps you can take to spend as much time as you want outside while also staying safe.

One of the easiest things you can do limit your chances of developing skin cancer involves limiting the time you spend outside during peak hours where the sun’s UV rays are the harshest. These hours extend from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is, unfortunately, the most popular time to be outside. Even on cloudy or overcast days, UV rays can penetrate through the clouds, leaving sunburns on those who have spent too long outside or have left the house without sunscreen. If you are outside during these hours, especially for prolonged periods of time, it is important to seek shaded areas that offer relief from the sun. If you know there will be no shaded areas before-hand, make sure to wear clothing that covers the majority of your skin and utilize hats and UV-blocking sunglasses.

Avoid Tanning – Whether It’s Outside or In Tanning Beds

Because of the desire to be tan, sunburns are not uncommon, their effects often overlooked due to summer trends of maintaining a darker skin color. Melanin, a pigment found naturally in the body, can be stimulated to produce a suntan as protection from the sun. Some people do not produce enough of it, though, and will instead develop a sunburn. You know you are sunburned if your skin is pink or red, feels warm to the touch, forms blisters, or is painful or tender.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STEPS IN SKIN CANCER PREVENTION IS TO AVOID GETTING BURNED.

Burns from UV rays, however, do not only exist as a threat during outdoor hours, but also threatens the skin of those who frequently visit tanning salons. Tanning beds work by using ultraviolet bulbs to create UV radiation. This radiation tans the skin similarly to how naturally occurring UV rays from the sun would but is more dangerous. Skin cells living in the lower skin layers are stimulated by the UV rays to produce melanin while the ultraviolet A, or UVA, rays penetrate beneath the protective layer and hit our nerves and blood vessels. This UVA light has deteriorating effects on our immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to skin cancer, like melanoma, while also promoting premature aging. Tanning, whether it’s in or outdoors, should be avoided.

Sunscreen – The Unsung Hero

Exposure to UV rays can be reduced by using sunscreen. This seemingly trivial solution is anything but. Dermatologists recommend using a Broad Spectrum sunscreen of at least 30 SPF due to its protection against UVB and UVA rays. Sunscreen should be applied at least 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapplied every two hours. If you are swimming, you should completely dry your skin before reapplying.

In addition to integrating sunscreen into your skin cancer prevention mindset, frequent dermatology exams can be beneficial and reassuring. If you should have skin cancer for any reason, it is always better to catch it early on.

Skin cancer is silent, meaning that it is often something you don’t feel or even notice. When thinking about skin cancer, many people might imagine growths, ulcers, or irregular moles. Because of skin cancer’s varying looks, sometimes it is dismissed as a weird mole or skin spot. If it looks odd or irregular to you, a good rule-of-thumb is to get it checked out. A missed opportunity to have it looked at by a professional early on could potentially mean more serious issues in the future.

It starts at home

One of the easiest things you could do in your initial check for skin cancer is searching your body - head-to-toe - for any growth or skin spot that you either hadn’t noticed before or looks irregular to you. If you do happen to find something that seems like it shouldn’t be there or has shown up after long-term UV exposure, we highly recommend meeting with our expert dermatologists to assess the problem area and determine a course of action.

Skin Exams

Skin exams are important in identifying cancerous skin areas early on. We use procedures like skin mapping, or medical photography, to detect any signs of skin cancer. When going through the process of a skin exam, it is important to consider your family’s history of skin cancer and your age, as these factors play an important role in determining your vulnerability to skin cancer.

Skin Biopsies

If your family has a history of skin cancer, or you think that skin cancer poses a specific threat to you due to your lifestyle or environment, biopsies are great for examining skin. Skin cancer shouldn’t be a guessing game, so even if you think you might not have it, biopsies are a great way to offer peace of mind. It’s a simple process that identifies skin cancer which helps in determining the right course of action for treatment.

Skin Cancer looks different

Melanoma is a household phrase that many people know about but don’t necessarily have knowledge of. It can grow quickly, and if left untreated, can become life-threatening. Melanoma can spread to different parts of the body, including those that aren’t commonly exposed to UV rays. Because of this, some people might disregard spots that are actually cancerous.

Secondly, melanoma can be raised, looking like a brown or black mole. This form of melanoma, called nodular melanoma, should be treated as soon as possible. This form should be easier to detect because of its features, so if you notice an unfamiliar raised mole that has even coloring, schedule an appointment with your Denver dermatologist for professional guidance.

A good guide to follow is the “ABCDE rule” supported by the American Cancer Society.

Asymmetry - if you were to imagine a line down the middle, one side is not identical to the other.
Border - the border of the mark is blurred or ragged.
Color - Color is inconsistent and can include multiple colors, like brown or black with patches of blue or red.
Diameter - can range from ⅛’’ to ¼’’ to ½’’. A common sign of melanoma is a mark larger than ¼’’.
Evolving - the mark is changing in color, shape, or size.

Basal and Squamous cell skin cancer

Other forms of skin cancer that are more common and still very treatable include basal and squamous cell skin cancer. Basal cell skin cancer can be detected on areas of skin that get the most sun and can look like firm pale or yellow areas, reddish and itchy patches, pink or translucent bumps, pink growths with abnormal blood vessel growths, or scar-like lesions.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the second most common type of skin cancer. It can take the form of scaly red patches, wart-like growths, or raised growths that may crust and bleed. Without proper treatment action, these can be dangerous and sometimes deadly. Squamous cell carcinoma can be caused by intense sun exposure and long-term exposure to UV rays, whether they be from the sun or from tanning beds.

Notify your doctor of any concerning growths

Again, it is heavily recommended to perform routine, head-to-toe check-ups to ensure that no new abnormalities have begun growing on your skin. Some things to look out for include:

New spots or marks on your skin
Sores that don’t heal or begin to scale and ooze
The spread of color from the border of the spot to surrounding skin

If you’re unsure of any spots or marks on your body that don’t match other spots on your body, call Colorado Skin Surgery and Dermatology to set up an appointment.

How it’s done

Mohs surgery is extremely precise, beneficial, and effective, especially for common skin cancer symptoms associated with basil and squamous cell carcinoma. In addition to having a high-cure rate, the goal of Mohs surgery is to maintain as much healthy skin as possible while completely removing the skin that holds the cancerous skin cells. As the surgeon removes the visible cancerous skin,they are able to see where the cancer stops. Removing the “tip of the iceberg” allows the surgeon to see the roots extending deeper into the skin that the cancer cells have produced. The surgeon is then able to remove other thin layers of surrounding cancerous skin before a pathologist examines the specimen under a microscope. Pathologists carefully examine the removed skin to confirm that no more cancerous cells still live within the patient. If cancer cells can still be found, the surgeon will have to remove another thin layer of skin.

The process, which includes the surgery as well as the lab work that determines if the skin specimens still contain cancer cells, can take several hours. The process may have to be repeated several times, making it time-consuming and stressful, but extremely worth it. Instead of removing visible cancerous skin as well as surrounding healthy tissue like most common surgeries, Mohs micrographic surgery verifies that all cancer is removed in a safe and minimally invasive way, making it far more effective and patient-friendly. Because the patient is awake and alert during the surgery, an anesthetic is provided for a comfortable experience.

What is the healing process like after having Mohs surgery?

Patients with small surgical wounds in certain areas will heal naturally through a process called “second intention”. Most patients will undergo what is called a “linear repair”, which involves side-to-side stitching of the surgical site. Patients with larger or more complicated wounds will require a skin graft or flap, which moves adjacent areas of skin to cover and heal the surgical wound. Scars from Mohs surgery should be expected, but keep in mind that these scars are smaller and less visible than those from excision surgeries.

What Mohs Surgery is good for

Mohs is good for safely removing basil and squamous cell carcinoma. In some cases, it can occasionally be used to treat lentigo malignant melanoma, a specific type of melanoma that stays close to the surface of the skin during its early stages. For this to be possible, the surgeon will modify the procedure to follow the guidelines of slow Mohs. This just means that the patient will have to wait longer to be notified of the results.

Mohs is a good idea for people who have a high risk of reoccurring skin cancer or have large, aggressive, rapidly growing, and undefined skin cancer areas. It is only recommended, however, for certain patients that either have one type of skin cancer, or have a few types of skin cancer that live close together.

Dr. Francis is a Board Certified Dermatologist as well as a fellowship trained Mohs surgeon in Denver. At our organization, we can guarantee that your surgery experience will leave you feeling more confident and healthy than you did before. Don’t hesitate - call us today to set up your Mohs surgery.

The surgery that some undergo to remove skin cancer may leave them with visible scars, directly affecting their self-confidence and overall skin cancer removal experience. Our restoration process is built with the patient in mind. We want to restore the patients' appearance, the form and function of their body, as well as their mental and physical health. If the patient has been struggling with their physical appearance for quite some time and is in search of a skilled expert to give them their confidence back, look no further than our individualized services.

What does restorative surgery include?

The main goal of restorative surgery is to restore the normal function and appearance of a body part. We understand that you want to look and feel your best, which is why we offer restoration services. Many of our procedures are done with the goal of leaving your skin healthier and more beautiful. It is an understood standard that skin that looks good is usually healthy. Our goal is to make your skin look the best and be the healthiest it’s ever been.

Restorative and reconstructive surgery can include cosmetic surgery as well, which incorporates your lifestyle, environment, and preferences to give you a look that is tailored to you. Cosmetic surgery is not the same as plastic surgery as commonly thought. The two terms are used synonymously but have a few notable differences, the first being that the two have different goals. Cosmetic surgery centers around enhancing your appearance, improving symmetry, proportion, and aesthetics, while plastic surgery centers around correcting dysfunctional areas with a focus in reconstruction.

Some of the features that cosmetic surgery includes:

Skin rejuvenation - like laser resurfacing, Botox, and filler treatments
Facial rejuvenation - like facelift, eyelid lift, and neck left
Facial contouring - rhinoplasty, chin, or cheek enhancement

Why Our cosmetic services are the best

Cosmetic surgery is distinct from plastic surgery in the sense that it comes from a different study and training. Becoming a board-certified cosmetic surgeon requires extensive training, knowledge, and experience, which all reflect our dedication and specialization to the practice. At Colorado Skin Surgery and Dermatology, we strive to restore normal appearance and function. Dr. Francis has extensive knowledge in restorative surgery regarding the nose, ears, eyelids, and lips, making her an ideal candidate for any restorative surgery need.

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Skin Cancer Prevention