Tips To Prevent Skin Cancer and What To Look For

How your dermatologists in Santa Barbara, CA, can help you prevent skin cancer

Sun exposure can do a lot of damage to your skin over time. Damage accumulates over the years, and it can eventually turn into skin cancer. Your dermatologist is an expert at diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.

The dermatologists at Kind Dermatology & Medical Spa in Santa Barbara, CA, provide a wide range of dermatology services, including skin cancer screenings, to help you prevent skin cancer.

You owe it to your health and the health of your skin to always wear sunscreen. It’s the easiest way to prevent skin cancer. You need to:

• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day
• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher if you plan to be outside for long periods of time
• Wear sunscreen with an SPF of at least 50 if you are fair skinned, burn easily, or have a high risk of skin cancer

You should also:

• Avoid using tanning booths
• Stay out of the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM, when UV rays are the most damaging
• Wear sunblocking clothing, including hats and sunglasses

In addition to skin cancer prevention, you should also know what to look for. You should do a self-check of your skin regularly. You need to look for:

• Scaly, red patches of skin
• Moles with irregular, ragged borders
• Large moles, with a diameter of 6 millimeters or greater
• Moles with an asymmetrical shape
• Moles which have grown back after previous removal
• Moles which bleed, itch, or ooze

If you notice any suspicious areas, you should visit your dermatologist for a skin cancer screening. Your dermatologist will take a tissue sample or remove the entire mole for a biopsy. The biopsy can determine whether the tissue is benign, precancerous, or cancerous.

You don’t have to suffer from skin cancer if you take precautions. To learn more about preventing skin cancer and what to look for, talk with the experts. Call the dermatologists at Kind Dermatology & Medical Spa in Santa Barbara, CA. You can reach them in the office by calling (805) 250-9891, so call now.