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Another Year, Another Skin Check

The new year brings many exciting changes. It brings us one step closer to spring and also a renewed vigor for creating healthy habits. For many, New Year’s resolutions include making health a priority. You may have decided to change up your diet or start working out regularly. These are both great ways to care for your body, but have you considered doing a regular skin check? As you go through your year, you may not remember to check for issues lurking beneath the surface of your skin. Now is the time to do a skin check.

What is a Skin Check?

A skin check is a full body scan where one looks for abnormal moles, new moles or growing moles. It is important to take note of all moles, so you can be aware when one changes or new ones appear. Your skin is your largest organ, but it is exposed to all kinds of dangers, including the sun’s harmful rays. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, so be proactive in scanning your skin.

How Often Do I Need a Skin Check?

Ideally, you should administer a self-check once a month. The scan should take no more than ten minutes but would save you time, money and lots of stress if you do find an irregularity.

Why? If you do happen to detect skin cancer in its early form, it can be easily cured. Sadly, one person dies from melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, every hour. Taking just ten minutes out of your month may just save your life.

What Exactly am I Looking For?

To make it simple and easy, we’ve come up with five things you need to look for in a mole when administering your skin check. All you have to remember are your A, B, C’s.

  • Asymmetry: If you draw a line through the center of your mole and it is not the same on both sides, this may be symptomatic of skin cancer.
  • Border: Harmless moles will have a clear and natural border, whereas moles that you need to take note of will have a blurred or jagged border.
  • Color: Healthy moles are a solid brown, with no pigment changes. If your mole is multicolored, dark purple or black, it’s time to visit the dermatologist.
  • Diameter: Bigger doesn’t always mean better. If your mole is larger than the size of a pencil eraser or growing rapidly, this could be a red flag even if it raises no other warning signs.
  • Elevation: If your mole is not smooth or extremely raised, then it could be a cause for concern.

Should I be Worried?

If any moles on your body raise a red flag from any of these A, B, C’s, it is time to visit your dermatologist and get their opinion. There is no need for panic or alarm, but it is always better to have a professional take a second look, so you don’t have to worry, or take steps to treat the irregularity.

Put your mind at ease this new year and take steps to care for yourself. By doing a skin check, you may be saving your life, not to mention time and money. If you have checked your body from head to toe and have found some concerning spots, pick up the phone and make an appointment at Knoxville Dermatology Group. The experienced dermatologists know exactly what to look for from years of caring for patients. Visit our website today or give us a call at (865) 690-9467.

Give Yourself the Gift of New Health This Year

health, beauty, resort and relaxation concept – beautiful woman in spa salon getting face treatment

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it’s hard to take a moment and care for yourself. The holidays are a time for giving, so why not give yourself a gift? It’s important to take a moment before the new year to take inventory of your skin’s health and pamper yourself as well.

Why take care of your skin? Your skin is actually your largest organ. It helps protect you from the elements and help regulate your body temperature. However, because of this, your skin is extremely vulnerable. Did you know that over 20 percent of the United States population is affected by skin cancer? This is why the American Academy of Dermatology recommends getting a skin exam once per year. This is a great way to care for yourself. A skin check not only checks for skin cancer, but also marks areas that are precancerous or are cause for concern.

Knoxville Dermatology Group

Getting a skin check is also an excellent time to notify your dermatologist of any other issues that may be bothering you, such as dry skin, irritation or the development of symptoms that could lead to a more serious skin condition. During this time, you can work with your dermatologist to develop a treatment plan for any number of skin conditions. The dermatologists at Knoxville Dermatology Group are experts in over 3,000 skin conditions and have the experience to help you tackle your skin issues. This way, you can step into the new year as your best self.

MediSpa

Another way to gift yourself during the giving season is to book a pampering session at KnoxvilleDermatology Group’s MediSpa. The spa offers traditional day spa services as well as medical spa services. Traditional services include brow and lash tinting, facial waxing and facials. If you’re ready to put your skin on display in the new year, try out some of these phenomenal medical spa services, for gorgeous andlong-lasting results.

  • Juvedermâ: While Juvedermâ is mainly used to give the patient fuller lips, it has a number of great benefits to give you smooth, blemish-free skin. Benefits include a reduction in the appearance of scars, sagging and fine lines.
  • Pearl Laser: If you want those pesky sun spots and brown spots to go away, it may be time to get a Pearl Laser treatment. These treatments help lighten dark spots on the skin to give you a more even skin tone.
  • Chemical Treatments: Also known as chemical peels, MediSpa offers a number of medical grade peels, including a MediSpaprivate label peel. The treatments can improve a myriad of skin issues such as fine lines, aging, enlarged pores, acne and more.

This holiday season, take a moment to not only pamper yourself but care for your skin’s health. By having a skin check done, you can potentially save yourself from advanced skin cancer, as well as identify areas of concern. To make an appointment for a skin check, visit our website or call us at (865) 690-9467. For an appointment with ourMediSpa, please visit our website to learn more about the services provided, or call us at (865)342-5823. 

Annual Skin Check: Your Skin Loves Getting Attention

eczema

Health-related goals always top resolution lists because everyone wants to live a happier, healthier lifestyle. Normal healthy habit resolutions include exercising more and eating right, but a very important task on your to-do list should be scheduling an annual skin check.

Yes, a doctor’s visit may seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! To make sure you get the most out of your visit, here are some tips you can do to make sure nothing gets overlooked:

–       Remove nail polish on fingers and toes. Skin cancer can also develop in your nailbeds, so it’s important to expose them for your dermatologist to check.

–       Perform your own skin check and make a list of any changes in your skin.

–       Double-check your moles and freckles. Make note of changes in size, shape or color.

Skin cancer is the most preventable type of cancer. While you’re taking preventative steps to avoid heart disease, diabetes and other health-related diseases, adding steps to prevent skin cancer is crucial for an overall healthy lifestyle. Some proactive and easy ways to achieve skin health are to monitor your sun exposure, wear sunscreen every day and drink lots of water. If you are more susceptible to skin cancer, it’s important to perform a self-scan of your skin at least once a month. Healthy skin is a lifelong goal and requires regular attention. Make this a year of great strides in continuing to pamper and care for one of the most important parts of your body!

7 Reasons for an Annual Skin Exam

dermatology

Your Knoxville Dermatology Group friends love seeing your bright beautiful faces. To keep that skin protected and cancer-free, we recommend an annual skin exam.  Why should you make this a priority? We rounded up the top 7 reasons.

You should schedule a skin check if you…

  1. … have red or blonde tresses.  These hair shades tend to be more likely to get skin cancer. Fair skin, freckles and blue or light-colored eyes are other indicators of susceptibility to the sun.
  2. …have more than 50 moles. You’ll catch any irregularities or changes if you regularly get your skin checked.
  3. …have melanoma in your family history. Melanoma is the most serious form of cancer and should not be taken lightly.
  4. …are excessively exposed to the sun.  Increased exposure means your risk of getting cancer also increases. This holds true even for those who regularly apply sunscreen.
  5. …use tanning beds frequently. Now recognized as “carcinogenic to humans”, it’s no surprise tanning beds up your risk of cancer.
  6. …have ever had a sunburn that resulted in blisters. You should have one of our certified dermatologists take a look at your blisters and regularly check your skin after sun exposure that results in a burn.
  7. …have a personal history of basal cell and/or squamous cell cancers, actinic keratosis or precancerous lesion, or dysplastic nevi. If you’ve had one, you are more than likely to get another.

There are many more reasons to have a regular skin exam, and we are here to provide assistance for your total skin care needs. Call us today.

If you have any questions about changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.

Do You Know Your Skin?

There are some things in life that are better left to the professionals, like a drastic haircut or dental surgery. But one thing you can do yourself that will help the professionals is do a skin scan at least once a month. This will help your annual skin check with your dermatologist go a lot smoother.

You should schedule a full body scan at least once a year. You may be recommended more visits if you have a history of skin cancer, a previous occurrence or a suspicious mole. A monthly skin scan at home is a great chance for you to note of any changes, growths, or discolorations to talk about with your dermatologists. But keep in mind, your friendly dermatologists at Knoxville Dermatology Group do more than just skin scans. They also treat for athlete’s foot, cold sores, rashes and hives, hair loss, scars and warts. Performing monthly skin scans yourself will help you prepare any questions about your skin and the aforementioned conditions.

What should you expect from a dermatologist skin scan? You can expect to have every inch of skin inspected. Now this isn’t as daunting as it may seem. You won’t just be standing in a room with no clothes on. One, you will be provided a gown and you can wear your underwear. Two, it will typically last about 10-15 minutes. You should also note that the scalp is on their list to check too so plan to ease up on hairspray, gel, or hair clips the day of your skin scan.

So get to know your skin just as well as your dermatologist and your annual skin scan should be quick and informative.

If you have any questions about checking your skin or you notice any changes in your skin, please call us today at 865-690-9467. Skin health is an important part of total body wellness. Schedule an appointment with one of our board certified physicians to get your skin the care it needs so it can reach its fullest, healthiest potential.