About 20% of Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they turn 70. To put it another way: You have a one in five chance of developing skin cancer in your lifetime. The key to early detection and treatment? Having regular skin cancer screenings.
This May, in recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, our expert team at Manhattan Dermatology explains who should have routine skin cancer screenings (hint — many adults) and what you can expect during your exam.
You may have heard that skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, both here in the United States and around the globe. What you may not know is that more than 9,500 adults in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and two people die of the disease every hour.
But it’s not all bad news: With early detection and prompt, expert care, the skin cancer cure rate is excellent. The five-year survival rates — meaning the percentage of people who are still alive five years after early diagnosis and treatment — for common skin cancers are:
Luckily, it’s possible to catch skin cancer early, in its most treatable stage. All it takes are regular self-exams and yearly in-office skin cancer screenings at Manhattan Dermatology.
Given that skin cancer affects people of all skin tones and types, everyone should conduct regular visual self-exams starting at age 18, checking for new spots or moles and looking for any unusual skin changes about once a month.
If you notice anything unusual or concerning during a visual self-exam, schedule a visit with our team, so we can take a look. If you have a higher-than-average skin cancer risk, we also recommend having yearly in-office skin cancer screenings.
You have an increased risk of developing skin cancer if you have any of the following risk factors, and your risk is even higher if you’re able to check more than one risk factor box:
A history of excessive sun exposure, blistering sunburns (especially in youth), or tanning bed use leaves you more vulnerable to skin cancer.
Your skin cancer risk is also higher if you have fair skin that burns or freckles easily, if you have blond or red hair, and if you have blue or green eyes.
You have a higher risk of developing melanoma, specifically, if you have atypical moles, large moles, or many moles (more than 50).
A personal history of BCC, SCC, or melanoma increases the need for annual skin cancer screenings, as does a previous actinic keratosis diagnosis.
If any first-degree family member (parent, sibling, child) has had melanoma, your risk is higher, too, and warrants extra vigilance.
A skin cancer screening is an up-close visual inspection of your skin and nails. As such, it’s important to leave your skin bare. Don’t apply moisturizer, lotion, sunscreen, makeup, or nail polish until after your appointment.
While most skin cancers are the result of exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, either from natural sunlight and/or tanning bed use, skin cancer can form anywhere on your body — including areas that are rarely exposed to UV light.
For this reason, skin cancer screenings are full-body exams that require you to remove your clothes and wear a full gown.
We perform a visual skin inspection using a special device called a dermatoscope. This magnifying, illuminating device allows your dermatologist to check every inch of skin, including:
Besides finding and evaluating any dark spots, growths, sores, or lesions, look for worrisome abnormalities in your moles. We apply a standard set of criteria — called the ABCDEs of atypical moles — to evaluate moles that appear irregular, which can be a sign of melanoma. This includes:
If you don’t have many moles and have never been diagnosed with skin cancer, your exam may be completed in about 15 minutes. The exam may take a bit longer if you’ve had skin cancer in the past or you have numerous moles.
To schedule your next skin cancer screening, call us at Manhattan Dermatology in the Murray Hill or Midtown East neighborhoods of Manhattan, New York City, today, or use our online booking feature to schedule a visit at your convenience.
