Overall Skin Check 
Skin Health & Wellness

Your skin can be a reflection of overall health. If you're sick, tired or stressed, your skin tone, color and condition will likely show it. The anxieties of life, unhealthly foods, and lack of exercise can make skin matters worse. To keep a healthy glow, learn more about your skin and ways to start protecting it.

About Your Skin
Did you know your skin is the largest organ in your body? It's also the body's first line of defense against infections and potentially harmful environmental irritants, such as allergens and pollution. So, proper skin care is essential — for your health and appearance.

Your skin has three layers:

  • Epidermis (thin outer layer)
  • Dermis (thicker middle layer that contains blood vessels, nerves, hair roots and sweat glands)
  • Subcutaneous tissue (mostly made of fat)

Beauty Starts on the Inside
The key to healthy skin lies beyond which soap you use. Eating well, exercising, coping well with stress and getting enough rest can help keep your skin radiant and prevent signs of aging.

  • Eat right. It's important to eat a varied, nutritious diet with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and fish. Antioxidants found in foods packed with vitamins A, C and E, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, help protect the skin. The best foods include: whole-grain cereals, fish, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes and green leafy vegetables such as spinach and broccoli. Drinking green tea is also good for your skin.
  • Exercise regularly. Exercising 1) flushes impurities out of your skin, 2) facilitates the production of sebum, the skin's natural moisturizer, and 3) improves blood flow to the skin. Your blood carries oxygen and valuable nutrients to help maintain skin health.
  • Counteract stress. Stress has a way of showing up on your face and skin. A number of skin conditions can flare up when someone is stressed. A recent study found teenagers under high levels of stress — for example during mid-term exams — are more likely to have a severe outbreak of acne. Prolonged stress can affect your immune system and lead to nervous habits such as nail biting or picking at the skin.

The Skinny on Skin Care
Below are some helpful hints to keep your skin looking its best:

  • Use a daily moisturizer with an SPF of 15 or higher to keep your skin hydrated and protect against the sun's harmful rays.
  • Wash your face with warm water and a mild cleanser. Be gentle. Don't scrub your skin too hard as this can irritate your skin and make pimples worse.
  • Avoid touching your face and fight the urge to pop pimples, which can lead to more swelling and redness.
  • Eat a balanced diet. Shoot for five small meals per day.
  • Exercise regularly.
  • Drink lots of water to stay hydrated and help release toxins.
  • Stay away from tanning beds. Spray-on tanning is okay.
  • Identify daily stressors and take steps to reduce anxiety (e.g., exercise, deep breathing, talking with friends, massage).
  • Choose your makeup carefully.
  • Quit smoking or don't start.
  • Consult a dermatologist, if you have repeated outbreaks or notice changes in your complexion.

Sun Safety and Your Skin
Even though you may feel healthier and more attractive sporting a tan, soaking up the sun can be harmful to your health. That glowing tan is, in fact, a visible sign of skin damage. When UV rays enter the skin, the skin tries to protect itself by producing more pigment and melanin, which gives the skin a golden or red color.

Too much sun can cause:

  • Premature wrinkles and skin aging
  • Freckles
  • Skin texture changes
  • Dilated blood vessels
  • Skin cancer

Although these changes won't show up for many years, the damage starts when you're young.

A Word about Tanning Beds
UV rays from tanning beds, booths and lamps not only inflict damage similar to sunlight, but they are also up to 20 times more intense than natural sunlight. Many tanning salons use UVA bulbs, which, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, cause deeper skin damage and contribute to more permanent damage (early wrinkling, loss of elasticity, freckling/dark spots and skin cancers).

Remember:
UVB rays have been associated with sunburn.
UVA rays go deeper into the skin causing more lasting damage.

Skin Cancer Alert
More than 1 million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year in the United States, and this number is growing primarily because many young people continue to tan, despite the known health risks. The three most common forms of skin cancer are:

  • Basal cell carcinoma
  • Squamous cell carcinoma
  • Melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It typically appears as a mole-like patch and can be deadly if untreated.

It's important to start checking for unusual blemishes or changes in the pattern or appearance of freckles and moles early on. If you notice any changes, talk with your doctor or dermatologist.

Use the ABCD rule when inspecting moles to help tell the difference between a normal mole and one that might signal a problem.

A: asymmetry — one half of the mole does not match the other half.
B: border irregularity — the edges of the mole are ragged or notched.
C: color — the color of the mole is not the same all over. There may be shades of tan, brown or black, and sometimes patches of red, blue or white.
D: diameter — the mole is wider than about one-quarter inch (larger than a pencil eraser).

Skin patches that continue to be itchy, scaly or painful should also be checked out.

Protecting your skin from UV radiation now can prevent premature aging and the risk of skin cancer later in life.

Top Sun Tips
Protect your skin by minimizing sunburns.

  • Use a "broad spectrum" sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. We suggest Blue Lizard sunscreen which is sweat and water resistant.
    • Apply sunscreen 20–30 minutes before going outside.
    • Reapply more often, especially if you go swimming or are sweating.
  • Shield your face and sun-exposed areas of your skin, especially your back, legs, forearms and neck. Keep a hat, sunglasses and protective clothing handy to cover up.
  • Limit the time you spend outdoors during peak sunlight hours when UV rays are at their strongest (typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.).
  • Seek shade or create your own with a beach umbrella.
  • Look for labels on medications that increase your sensitivity to the sun, such as certain antibiotics and blood pressure medicaiton.

Don’t Believe Skin Myths

Myth: I don't have to worry about sun damage because I tan easily.
Truth: The damage inflicted by the sun and other environmental irritants accumulates over the years, so even if you don't burn, you are still increasing your risk of skin cancer and wrinkles.
Myth: I don't need to use sunscreen when it's cloudy or during the winter.
Truth: Although the sun feels hotter and more intense on bright, sunny days, you can still develop sunburn on overcast days if your skin is unprotected. According to the CDC, 32 percent of the UV rays still reach the earth's surface on an overcast day. It's equally important to protect your skin during the winter. Snow reflects up to 80 percent of the sun's rays, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Sand and water also increase the sun's effects. Bottom line: wear sunscreen anytime you're out in the sun no matter what the season or climate!
Myth: Acne is a sign of dirty skin.
Truth: Acne is not caused by poor hygiene or dirty skin. Frequent washing will not improve the skin and may further irritate the skin and reduce the effectiveness of medications. Many adolescents struggle with acne due to their changing hormones.
Myth: Tanning clears up acne.
Truth: Although a tan may temporarily mask blemishes and breakouts, the sun causes such long term side effects, others treatments are better.

Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider
Here are some questions you may want to ask during your next doctor's appointment.

  • Does my diet influence my skin's health? Are there certain foods I should steer clear of?
  • What's the best way to conceal breakouts?
  • Are sunless tanning lotions safe?
  • When should I start seeing a dermatologist for routine skin checks?
  • How do I find a dermatologist?

Resources
American Academy of Dermatology
1-888-503-7546
www.skincarephysicians.com

Pregnant  Women

As any women who has been pregnant knows, many things about the body change during pregnancy, including the skin.  While there are specific rashes associated with pregnancy, new growths can appear and existing moles can change shape and size as the pregnancy progresses and hormone levels fluctuate.  In many cases, existing moles will become darker and larger, which of course causes concern.  In the majority of cases, this is normal, especially if multiple moles change or many new growths occur in a short time period.  However, melanoma and other skin cancers can appear in pregnant women just as commonly as in non-pregnant women.  For this reason, it is important to have any new or changing mole evaluated while pregnant. 

Many women will develop "skin tags", which are fleshy, usually small pieces of what appears to be "extra skin".   These small tags have a tendency to occur in areas where skin rubs against skin, such as in the underarm area or under the breasts.   While these lesions are annoying and can bleed when traumatized, they are benign.  At times, they become necrotic and appear black and can look like a skin cancer, but they are still benign at that point. 

If a skin cancer is discovered in a pregnant woman, surgery remains a viable option to excise the lesion. 

 Growing Kids

Children also present an interesting challenge for the dermatologist as they will often develop new and growing moles, especially during the teenage years.  The difficult question to answer: is the mole growing and changing because the child is growing and changing, or is the mole growing and changing independent of the child's growth?  This is a difficult question to answer at times.  Most importantly, all the moles should be considered and compared. 

If many moles appear to be simply growing with the child, then monitoring these moles on a yearly basis may be appropriate.   However, if one or several moles appear to be growing or changing at a much more rapid rate than the rest of the moles, then these should be biopsied to make sure they are not abnormal.  The usual signs of change in shape, size and color continue to apply. 

 Because pregnant women and kids both have growing and changing bodies, it is important to monitor all moles and new growths with monthly self skin exams.  Consult with your local dermatologist if there is any concern that a lesion is growing or changing.  Fortunately, the vast majority of skin growths are not cancerous but always be cautious and have these growths evaluated.