A new study published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings found the incidence of melanoma in young adults is soaring, with a six-fold increase in the past 40 years. The rise is particularly noteworthy in young females aged 18 to 39, where the incidence of melanoma increased eight-fold from 1970 to 2009, and four-fold in young adult males.

Although the study didn’t examine why the numbers have increased, gender-specific behaviors such as tanning — a popular activity among young women — may be behind this alarming trend. “The number one thing – stop going to go tanning beds,” says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Tony Nakhla. “All correlations point towards that as the reason for the increase.”

Call OC Skin Institute today for a skin cancer screening with Dr. Nakhla. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Better safe than sorry. (714) 547-6111

Dr. Tony Nakhla gives The A B C D & Es to Checking Your Birthday Suit! Included in the discussion are tips on how to identify potential cancer. Listen by clicking the image or below.

http://www.rsnsites.net/index.php?id=834

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S.

“My moles look strange. Could they be cancerous?” THEY COULD! Every year, more people than ever before are diagnosed with skin cancer. What should you watch for?

1. Slow-growing pink bumps on your skin that crust over & bleed

2. Raised wart-like growths that form ulcers

3. Multi-colored moles with uneven borders or moles that change size, shape, or color

If you spy any of these growing anywhere on your body – and yes, you should check your skin often for these signs – make an appointment with a dermatologist. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone be examined for skin cancer once a year.

For more information, or to schedule a skin cancer screening, call OC Skin Institute at (714) 547-6111.

The obvious way to protect your skin from the sun is to apply sunscreen to areas exposed to the sun, especially your face, every day, as though your life depended on it – because it may. If not your life, certainly your skin and your appearance depend on it. Patients ask me a lot of questions about sun protection. For example, I hear this all the time, “I put a few dabs of sunscreen on. That should do the trick, right.” Wrong.

A study conducted a few years ago revealed that most people – up to 70% of the population – don’t apply sunscreen before going out. Those that do tend to apply only 25 to 50% of the recommended amount of sunscreen. Don’t be one of those people.

How much sunscreen should you apply? What about if you’re getting in water? What happens if it’s not sunny out? All of these questions, and more, are answered in Dr. Nakhla’s best selling book, “The Skin Commandments: 10 Rules to Healthy, Beautiful Skin.” You can purchase the book from Amazon.com.

Don’t put off protecting your skin, and the skin of your family & friends. You just may save their lives.

Call OC Skin Institute to schedule your free skin cancer screening today! 3 convenient Orange County locations: Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, and Santa Ana: (714) 547-6111

According to a new study by Mayo Clinic, melanoma rates are up across the board, but especially among women under 40. You should have a thorough skin cancer screening at least once a year.

You can be your own greatest ally in skin cancer detection by paying close attention to your skin and noticing any unusual and possibly precancerous moles. If you notice any of these signs, contact OC Skin Institute right away to schedule a consultation:

The ABCDE Guide for Skin Cancer Detection

• Asymmetry: When divided in half, the two sides of the mole appear different.
• Border: Edges of the mole are blurry or jagged.
• Color: The mole’s color darkens, spreads, loses color altogether, or changes its appearance to multiple colors such as gray, pink, blue, white, purple or red.
• Diameter: A mole with a diameter of 1/4 inch (6 mm) or larger. (about the size of a pencil eraser)
• Elevation: A mole with an uneven surface or that is raised above the skin.

For more information including mole pictures, screening tips, and skin protection, check out The Skin Commandments book, authored by Dr. Nakhla, on Amazon.com. It could save the life of your friends, family, and even you.

What a great turn out at our Stomp Out Skin Cancer event in San Clemente, CA! If you missed it, please call the office to schedule your complimentary skin cancer screening with Dr. Nakhla: (714) 547-6111

BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER WITH THESE SIMPLE TIPS

1. Choose a sunscreen with both UVA and UVB protection. Most sunscreens only cover UVB. Make sure you choose one that covers BOTH.

2. Choose a sunscreen with high SPF. The higher the SPF, the more protected your skin likely will be.

3. Tips #1 and #2 will help keep your skin safe in sun. But that’s no reason to bake your skin or “lay out”. Whenever possible, sit in the shade or under an umbrella, wear a hat with a brim that covers your face and neck, and NEVER aim your face directly at the sun.

4. Botox. Did you know botox can be helpful in the summer months as a preventative measure against skin wrinkling? Since you will be squinting and frowning from the sun’s bright rays, consider botox treatments to prevent those creases from turning into deep wrinkles.

5. Sun protective clothing are a good option for the outdoor athlete, volleyball player, and kids who will be playing in this sand. This lightweight fabric is weaved in a way that blocks most of the sun’s harmful ray from penetrating and harming your skin. When used in conjunction with sunscreen, sun protective clothing offers excellent protection. Look for sun protective clothing with a UPF ( a measurement for sun protective fabric) of 30 or greater.

MelaFind is a hand-held system that emits 10 different wavelengths of light to capture images of irregular skin lesions. Those images are run through an algorithm that is based on a database of thousands of images of lesions. That algorithm then provides a recommendation on whether the lesion should be biopsied. Melafind is designed to detect melanoma, a deadly type of skin cancer.

The FDA has yet to approve this device and has stated that the device may potentially do more harm than good (by either encouraging the doctor to perform too many biopsies or potentially “missing” skin cancers).

While devices such as Melafind, handheld “scopes”, mole mapping machines, and other instruments may become helpful in the art of skin cancer detection, nothing replaces the experienced eye and the depth of skin knowledge of a board certified dermatologist.

All patients are encouraged to have a yearly skin cancer screening. Those with a personal or family history of skin cancer should be screening every 3-6 months.

Patients are encouraged to use sunscreen daily, with reapplication every 2 hours on days of anticipated intense sun exposure, outdoor activities, or water sports.