Medical

May is Melanoma Awareness Month.  It is important for me as a dermatologist to educate my patients about this serious form of skin cancer.

Melanomas are a type of skin cancer that forms from the pigmented cells in our skin, called melanocytes.    It is the most dangerous form of skin cancer.  If left untreated or found at a late stage, it can cause serious illness or even death.  Fortunately, melanoma rarely strikes without a warning.  Learn the ABCD’s of melanoma.  When melanoma is found early, it is almost always curable.

Who Gets Melanoma:

Those of us with lighter color skin, blond or red head, freckled, history of recurrent blistering sun burns as a child, sunburn easily and never tan.  Having a  family history of melanoma or more that 50 normal moles will also put you at a higher risk for melanoma.  Also, if you have ever had a dysplastic or atypical mole, you are at a higher risk for the development of a melanoma.  Tanning beds can increase our risks for melanoma through increased exposure to ultraviolet light.

What Do I Look For:

The American Cancer Society developed the ABCD’s of melanoma in order for people to better understand what to look for in their moles.  A:  asymmetry, drawing a line down the middle, both sides should look the same.,  B:  border, a normal mole has a smooth, even border.  C:  color, most normal moles are one color.   D:  diameter, size less than 6 mm (or the size of a pencil eraser).  Recently E:  evolving, was added to be on alert when a mole starts to change or evolve in any way.

What Treatment is Available:

The best treatment is early detection.  An evaluation from a dermatologist can confirm whether or not a mole is normal.  If the doctor has some concerns, a biopsy can be performed.  This involves numbing the area and removing the entire lesion, or a portion, which can be examined under the microscope.  If a melanoma is diagnosed, the treatment will depend on how deep the lesion goes into the skin.

Generally speaking, the first treatment for a melanoma is surgery.  The lesion is removed along with normal skin around the melanoma.  Depending on the depth, a sentinel lymph node test may be done to see if the melanoma cells have spread.  In addition, other tests may be performed, such as a complete physical, eye exam, CAT scan, MRI, or PET scan.  These are all done to test for spread of the melanoma, called metatasis.

How Do I Protect Against Melanoma:

Since too much sun is a risk factor, it is best to avoid the sun between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.  If you are out in the sun, wear a broad spectrum sunscreen (that blocks both UVA and UVB), and reapply every two hours.  Don’t forget SLIP, SLAP, SLOP.  Slip on a shirt, slop on the sunscreen, and slap on a hat!!!!

To learn more about melanoma, go to www.aad.org.

- Dr. Lisa Hitchins

1201 Dairy Ashford

Suite 200

Houston, TX 77079

713-407-3067

www.mcadermatology.com