Part of committing to skin health is being committed to your preventative care. Preventing skin issues before they arise is the absolute best way to treat them. If you haven’t received a baseline skin exam and skin cancer screening, make 2020 the year you commit to your skin health. Prevention and early detection are the best treatments.
Overall wellness starts with prevention. Are you ready to be the healthiest version of you?
What are preventative exams?
A baseline skin exam is the cornerstone of skin health and is a valuable opportunity for preventative care and early intervention. Preventative skin exams can help identify your risk factors and detect the early signs of skin cancer, concerning moles, infections, and skin conditions.
While everyone should get at least one preventative skin exam, not everyone needs them regularly. After your baseline exam, your board-certified dermatologist at Aesthetic & Dermatology Center will discuss your risk factors and the frequency with which you should schedule preventative exams.
Who needs a skin exam?
Everyone should receive a baseline skin exam. However, if there is nothing concerning noted during your exam and you don’t have any risk factors, then you don’t need an annual skin exam. If this is the case for you, you should periodically monitor your skin for any changes and get another exam if you notice anything different.
The main risk factors that require annual skin exams are:
- family or personal history of melanoma
- personal history of atypical moles
- personal history of skin cancer
- history of childhood blistering sunburns
- history of tanning bed use
- presence of many moles on the body
If you have any of the above risk factors, your board-certified dermatologist will recommend annual skin exams.
When do I need one?
Everyone should have at least one baseline exam. Following this exam, your board-certified dermatologist will talk to you about how frequently you should get an exam and what you should be watching out for specifically.
If you have any of the risk factors listed above, you should get a skin exam at least once per year. These quick exams are painless and easy to fit into any schedule.
When you notice changes in your skin
If you notice something different about your skin, schedule a skin exam as soon as possible. Things to pay attention to include:
- New moles or growths
- Moles that change color, shape, or size
- Pigmentation changes
- Moles or spots that are increasing in diameter
Preventing skin cancer is the most surefire way to treat it. Early detection is the best way to ensure positive treatment outcomes. Skin cancer isn’t always obvious in the beginning, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for, which makes your professional skin exams essential. Your board-certified dermatologist will be able to detect skin cancer early on, giving you the best possibility of remission and the complete removal of cancerous tissue.
Committing to your skin health is easy with a preventative skin exam. Your board-certified dermatologist can help you live your life the way you want to, stay safe, and treat any areas of concern as early as possible.
What do skin exams screen for?
During your exam, your board-certified dermatologist will discuss your medical history and your risk of developing skin cancer. Additionally, your board-certified dermatologist at Aesthetic & Dermatology Center will check for:
- Skin cancer
- Concerning moles and other growths
- Skin condition & concerns
If you have questions about aesthetic and cosmetic concerns, this is a great time to bring them up. Wrinkles, fine lines, and scarring can have a profound impact on how you feel, and we know how important looking good is to feeling good. Bring up all your skin concerns during your skin exams to get the most well-rounded care and to ensure that you are truly living your best life. It all starts with a painless preventative exam.
Committing to skin health
If you haven’t had a baseline skin exam yet, now is the time to start. Skin exams are the best way to commit to your skin health, especially if you are in a higher-risk bracket. These quick, painless exams will help make sure you are protecting yourself properly, doing what you need to maintain optimal wellness, and are able to truly love your skin for years to come!
If you haven’t had your baseline exam or need to schedule an annual exam, don’t wait. Call Aesthetic & Dermatology Canter today at (301) 610-0663 to schedule your exam with one of our board-certified dermatologists!
All of the information in this blog are for informational purposes only and should not be treated as medical advice. Always speak to your board-certified dermatologist before starting or stopping a treatment plan. To learn more about how this information can and cannot be used, see our site disclaimer.