Posted on April 24th, 2009
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Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer accounting for about half of all the cancers in the United States. According to the statistics of The American Cancer Society,  10,000 people die of skin cancer each year and 1 in 5 people will develop skin cancer in their life time.

Skin cancer is dangerous because everyone is at risk for it, no matter what skin type they have.  People in sunnier climates, like Florida, are at even greater risk due to their increased and prolonged exposure to the sun’s damaging rays. However, it should be noted that the sun is not the only cause of skin cancer. Tanning beds, once thought to be a safer alternative, have also been found to be just as dangerous as tanning outdoors. In fact, research has found that exposure to tanning beds prior to age 35 increases one’s risk of developing melanoma by 75 percent.

In a nutshell, exposure to UVA/UVB rays whether at the beach or in a tanning salon, add up day after day and not only increase the visible signs of aging, but increase your chances of developing skin cancer as well.   Protection and education are the first lines of defense in the fight against skin cancer.

The American Cancer Society has designated May as Skin Cancer Awareness Month.  It is the perfect time to learn more about what you can do to protect yourself and your families. You can continue to have fun in the sun provided you take a few extra precautions. Some “Sun Smart” safety tips include:

Tips for Being Sun Smart

•    Generously apply water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15. The best sunscreens are those that provide  broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Re-apply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating.

•    Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with ultraviolet protection when possible.

•    Seek shade when possible, especially in the middle of the day (10a-4p). Practice the shadow rule and teach it to your children. If your shadow is shorter than you, the sun’s rays are at their strongest.

•    Protect children from sun exposure by playing in the shade, using protective clothing, and applying sunscreen.

•    Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun which can increase your chance of sunburn.

•    Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet.

•    Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling.  If you want to look like you’ve been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.

•    Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing, or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist.  Skin cancer is very treatable if caught early.

Posted on March 12th, 2009
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by Dr. Dimitry Palceski of Reflections Dermatology

Psychologists have often said that women like to avoid conflict. Apparently they are unaware of the war that’s been waged against the visible signs of aging. Over the past decade, it has become increasingly clear that women (and some men) are no longer willing to just sit back and let nature run its course. In fact, the question these days isn’t so much whether you’re going to act, but rather how and when.

As you age, your skin’s natural ability to keep itself looking radiant and youthful diminishes. Everything from the platform that the skin sits on to the collagen in your skin begins to decrease and the cumulative effects of sun exposure and other environmental factors are revealed in the form of fine lines and wrinkles, loss of facial volume, and uneven skin tone and texture. In a nutshell, your skin simply begins to lose its luster. Luckily, science has provided us with many powerful weapons designed to combat the unwelcome signs of aging.

As a Dermatologist, I work with patients every day to help them select which weapons will be most effective in their quest to win the battle with the clock. Although there are many highly effective non-surgical cosmetic procedures now available including Botox, fillers and laser treatments, the first line of defense should be a healthy lifestyle and a good skincare regimen.

A good skincare regimen is like food for your skin and can provide a visibly deteriorating complexion with the resources it needs to repair and rejuvenate itself. To get started “stopping the clock” you’ll need to incorporate four key components into your skincare routine 1) cleanse 2) exfoliate 3) hydrate and 4)protect. With this four point system, the use of high quality products, and a commitment to your new regimen, you can begin to turn back the hands of time by encouraging collagen production, neutralizing skin damaging free-radicals, and improving your skin’s overall moisture content and ability to protect itself. The result… simply beautiful skin at any age.

4 Key Components of an Anti-Aging Skin Care Regimen

1. Cleanse
Be sure to cleanse your skin at least twice a day to remove dirt and makeup and to help to keep blemishes at bay.

2. Exfoliate
Exfoliating your skin on a regular basis will help keep your skin looking radiant. Exfoliating is a process that can be accomplished in two ways - mechanically or chemically. Mechanical exfoliation includes micro-dermabrasion or the use of an exfoliating brush such as the Clarisonic. Chemical exfoliation is usually done through the use of chemical peels or by cleansing with products containing alpha or beta-hydroxy acids. Exfoliation works by eliminating the outermost layer of the skin thereby promoting the production of new skin cells.

3. Hydrate
Moisturizing not only hydrates the skin, but locks in your skin’s own natural moisture and helps diminish the appearance of fine lines. When selecting moisturizers, try to pick one with active anti-aging ingredients such as a retiniod or DNA repair for added benefit.

4. Protect
The success of your anti-aging regimen will largely rest on how well you protect your skin from this point forward. The best protection will be a combination that includes both antioxidants and sunscreens. Antioxidants such as vitamins C & E, coffeeberry and other plant extracts have been proven to be highly effective in protecting the skin, repairing damaged cells, and preventing further damage from free-radicals. Unfortunately, antioxidants can not protect your skin alone. They need the assistance of sunscreens that provide broad-spectrum protection against both UVA and UVB rays with a sun-protection-factor (SPF) of at least 15.