Read More Words like dysplastic nevus and metastatic are not words that you use every day and can be worrisome when you hear them used in your dermatologist’s office. To help you navigate some of the complex terms associated with skin cancer, we’ve compiled an easy-to-follow glossary of definitions. Actinic keratosis (AK) – The most common type of precancerous skin …
Ask the Expert: Does My Blood Pressure Medicine Increase My Skin Cancer Risk?
Read More Is there a skin cancer risk lurking in your medicine cabinet? Here’s what you need to know. A 2021 Canadian study found that the use of commonly prescribed high blood pressure medications is associated with an increased risk of developing skin cancer. Our expert, Jeremy Brauer, MD, explains the findings and what you can do if you take …
Red Alert!
Read More They say that redheads are fiery and interesting. How could I disagree, since I am one, too? Those cute freckles so many of us have let you get away with almost anything. And we’re likely to have Celtic or Scandinavian ancestry (or both, like me). That’s all worth celebrating on November 5, National Love Your Red Hair Day! …
More Progress, More Hope, More Time
Read More Melanoma took many things from Todd and Linda Nagel, but it never took away their hope. Throughout Todd’s five-year battle, they remained positive and embraced every moment together even more preciously. Today, Linda celebrates the life of her beloved late husband by hosting an annual golf event that funds The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Research Grants Program and brings hope …
How Dangerous is Melanoma? It’s All a Matter of Timing
Read More Skin cancer holds the unfortunate distinction of being the world’s most common cancer. Though its prevalence around the globe is disturbing, there is some good news: When caught early, skin cancers are almost always curable. You might already know that catching a cancer early means a more favorable prognosis. But it can be difficult to comprehend just how …
More than 500 Free Screenings in the Books!
Read More Destination Healthy Skin September Update Our Destination Healthy Skin program has passed its halfway point, with more than 500 free skin cancer screenings in the books! This program is literally designed to save lives. From August 1 to October 2, our volunteer dermatologists identified more than 103 potential skin cancers and precancers, including 7 suspected melanomas. The dermatologists also found 62 atypical moles, …
Back-to-School Sun Safety
Read More Whether you rejoice or feel sad when your kids head back to school, you hope your good influence sticks with them! That’s why it’s so important to teach children and teens about protecting their skin and eyes from the dangerous effects of the sun — all year long. Exposure can add up during a typical school day. Children …
Mohs Surgery: 5 Things to Know Before You Go
Read More Mohs surgery gives you the highest cure rate and lowest recurrence rate of any skin cancer treatment. The procedure is considered the most effective for treating many basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), the two most common types of skin cancer. Some surgeons are also successfully using Mohs surgery on certain cases of melanoma. The surgery is done in stages, …
How Immunotherapy Is Like an Old Western Movie
Read More Immunotherapies —medications that lasso your immune system to work for you —have revolutionized treatment for many types of cancer, including certain advanced cases of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers. Here, in illustrated form, we explain how they work, using some familiar characters to show how they stop the bad guys! *This comic was first featured in the 2021 …
6 Cities in the Books; 15 to Go!
Read More Destination Healthy Skin August Update It’s been a busy August for Destination Healthy Skin! We’ve traveled halfway around the country, providing free skin cancer screenings and education to hundreds of people in half a dozen cities. And we’re not nearly done yet! We’ll be traveling to 15 more from September to November. Check our schedule to see if we’ll be visiting …