Green Dermatology & Cosmetic Center Honors Skin Cancer Awareness Month

As we usher in summertime in sunny South Florida, it’s appropriate to also call attention to the fact that May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, more people are diagnosed with skin cancer each year in the U.S. than all other cancers combined, and one in five Americans will develop it by the age of 70.

These are scary statistics, and Green Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, a premier medical and cosmetic dermatology center near Boca, we stress the importance of skin cancer awareness. The Skin Cancer Foundation provides a great list of skin cancer prevention tips, such as avoiding UV tanning beds, using a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher every day, and making sure to examine your skin head-to-toe every month to look for any abnormalities. You can view the full list here.

Following these recommendations is an important aspect of skin cancer awareness, and could help save you from a diagnosis.

Green Dermatology & Cosmetic Center offers various services for clients looking for skin cancer treatment in Boca and its surrounding area. Dr. Green tailors his treatments to each individual case. He may opt for Cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, chemotherapeutic agents, chemical peeling, dermabrasion, laser surgery or curettage.

We understand that some of these terms may be unfamiliar to you, so let’s explain further.

Cryotherapy or cryosurgery is an in-office procedure used to treat both benign and malignant lesions. It uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy targeted skin growths, without injuring the skin surrounding the area. Cryotherapy can be used to treat warts, precancerous lesions such as Actinic Keratosis, and malignant lesions such as Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

Dr. Green may prescribe topical chemotherapeutic creams to his patients, such as Carac Cream, Effudex Cream, Aldara or Zyclara. The cream is applied to the affected area, which will typically heal without scarring once the inflammation has ended. These creams are limited to treating superficial Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinomas.

Other treatment specializations include Excision, which is the removal of moles, cysts, lipomas and actual areas of skin cancer; Electrodesiccation and Curettage (ED&C), which is a combination process of treatment that involves scraping the abnormal cells and essentially burning the area with an electric current or liquid nitrogen to seal the blood vessels and remove any remaining cancer cells. This procedure is repeated several times until the cancerous cells are completely removed; and SRT (superficial radiation therapy), which is a non-invasive procedure with faster healing times and minimal to no-scarring.

For patients who come to see Dr. Green with suspicious moles or skin abnormalities, he will perform a biopsy for melanoma. This is why it’s so important to check your skin regularly and look for any sign of change in the skin whatsoever. To perform the biopsy, Dr. Green removes a sample of tissue to send to a dermatopathologist to inspect further to find out if it shows melanoma.

If you suspect melanoma and/or are looking for the best skin cancer treatment from a medical dermatology office in and around Boca, visit us at Green Dermatology & Cosmetic Center. Book an appointment by calling or requesting an appointment online.

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