Skin cancer can often be prevented by following a few important guidelines:

• Wear sunscreen and lip balm every day, especially during prolonged periods in direct sunlight.
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection to avoid developing a melanoma in the eyes
• Don’t spend too much time in the sun.
• Do not use tanning beds, sun lamps, or any other UV emitting lights

If you notice any irregular moles, freckles, or skin lesions, schedule an appointment right away to get it checked out.

You may be at a higher risk for skin cancer if you fit in one of the following groups:

• Fair skin, especially with blonde or red hair and blue, green, or grey eyes.
• Skin that burns or freckles rather than tanning.
• History of serious sun burns. Even one strong sun burn can be cause for concern.
• Irregular or excessive quantity of moles.
• Family history or genetic relation to others that have experienced skin cancer.

You should perform self-exams on a regular basis. Skin cancer usually occurs on uncovered skin with prolonged exposure to sunlight – ears, neck, nose, face, arms and legs.

If you notice any irregular moles, tags, or other marks on the skin, come visit us immediately. We can take a look and perform a biopsy with a quick visit to our offices. This is safe and easy, with little discomfort or risk. Do not hesitate to get any irregular marks checked out. Watch Dr. Myers’ video about skin cancer.

Skin cancer can be cured, especially if it is caught early and properly treated. Without early treatment, skin cancer can spread and create an outcome that is not as favorable. Do not delay getting checked out for possible skin cancer.

If a visit to the dermatologist results in a diagnosis of skin cancer, there are a number of common low-risk treatments:

Mohs Surgery
Dr. Myers is an Affiliate Member of the American Society of Mohs Surgery. Using the Mohs Surgery treatment, Dr. Myers will remove the visible part of the skin cancer and because cancer cells are not visible to the naked eye, he will also remove some skin that looks normal but may contain cancer cells. This part of the surgery will be performed one layer at a time, and prepared so that we can examine it under a microscope and look for cancer cells. If we find cancer cells, another layer of skin will be removed and this process will be continued until the surgeon no longer finds cancer cells. Mohs surgery can be completed within a day or less and the cure rate for skin cancer is high when Mohs is used.

Excision
This treatment consists of numbing the skin and then surgically cutting out the skin cancer, as well as a small amount of normal looking skin or margin and can be done in the dermatologist’s office.

Immunotherapy, cryosurgery, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and radiation therapy are all options that may be considered if Mohs or excision are not the right fit in a specific case. Watch Dr. Myers’ video about skin cancer treament.

If you suspect you may have skin cancer, Dr. Myers – with years of experience in diagnosing and treating skin cancer – would like to help you. Contact us to request an appointment. Same day appointments are available on a first-come first-serve basis.