Category: Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is no joke. Hugh Jackman recently shared an Instagram picture of his nose bandaged from a skin cancer surgery. He urged his fans to wear sunscreen. Luckily, he got it checked on time after his wife urged him to. It was basal cell carcinoma. This was the second time Hugh Jackman skin cancer was diagnosed. See below the Instagram picture from November, 2013.

If the Wolverine can get skin cancer so can you.  No one can escape the damaging rays of the sun. Basal Cell Carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and can be prevented by just simply wearing Sunblock SPF 30 daily and protective clothing. There are an estimated 2.8 million cases of BCC diagnosed in the US each year. In fact, it is the most frequently occurring form of all cancers. It shouldn’t be taken lightly: this skin cancer can be disfiguring if not treated promptly.

6 months ago:

It is important on the nose to preserve normal tissue margins utilizing the Mohs technique. This gives you a higher cure rate and lower chance of recurrence. Immediately following the Mohs, Dr Mejia does the plastic surgery reconstruction as is demonstrated on this patient in the video below. This is the type of result that is similarly done on the nose like Hugh Jackman. Continue reading “Hugh Jackman Skin Cancer & Urging Fans To Be Safe” →

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Every year, May 5th is Melanoma Monday. In an effort to educate the public on this deadly disease, The American Academy of Dermatology has created some public service announcements to educate you in early prevention.

Here are Melanoma statistics:

• On average, one American dies from melanoma every hour. In 2014, it is estimated that 9,710 deaths will be attributed to melanoma.
• Melanoma is the most common cancer for young adults 25 to 29 years old and the second most common form of cancer for adolescents and young adults 15-29 years old
• When caught early, skin cancer – including melanoma – is highly treatable. The five-year survival rate for people whose melanoma is detected and treated before it spreads to the lymph nodes is 98 percent.

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[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]Download the Mole Map: Mole Map from AAD

Download Dr. Mejia’s ABCDE’s of Melanoma 

The American Academy of Dermatology also has created an online quiz to Spot Skin Cancer to test your knowledge.  Prevention is key. If you see any signs,  please get checked right away. Dr. Mejia is a Mohs skin cancer surgeon and one of the only MD’s in the nation that is Board Certified in dermatology and dermatologic surgery. Be safe and stay covered.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Photo Credit: Chron.com Article Source

Although small in number,  melanoma in children has risen by two percent between 1973 and 2009 from a total of less than 250 a year to about 500 now.

According to the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, these are the warning signs for pediatric melanoma:

• Skin: A bump that itches and bleeds.

• Blemish: Any blemish that looks like a wart, without pigment or a pinkish color

• Lesion: Lighter colored amelanotic lesions.

• Moles: Any odd-looking moles, especially those larger in size.

• Different: A mole that looks different from your child’s other moles.

• Info: Remember these easy clues to moles that may be problematic: asymmetry, border irregularity, color, diameter (larger than 1/4 inch) and elevation.

The Houston Chronicle shared a story of a six year old girl who was diagnosed with pediatric melanoma. At first, they thought it was a wart or a pimple, but when it did not get better after treatment, the Doctor found that it was Melanoma. Thankfully, she is now in remission.

Unfortunately, melanomas in children do occur and for this reason, it is important to protect your children’s skin. Most importantly, avoid sunburns as this can increase the risk.  This is the purpose of the Hunt for Melanoma campaign. It is an opportunity for us to be aware of what a melanoma looks like and take a close inspection of the moles on our body.  View the ABCD’s and a downloadable brochure to get your first hand education on melanomas. 

According to this article at The Skin Cancer Foundation,  melanoma incidence has increased by 19% in 15 years:

From 1992 to 2008, their annual melanoma incidence increased by 19 percent. Too little use of sun safety techniques (such as seeking shade, wearing protective clothing, and using sunscreen) may have contributed to this rapid rise in melanoma and other skin cancers among Hispanics.

We see a variety of different skin cancers among different populations. It is important to realize that we are not immune to skin cancers. Some of my largest cases of skin cancers have been in the Hispanic population. Consequently, we should all heed the warnings in this article and protect our skin and be aware of the early warning signs of skin cancer, especially pain or itching.

This cosmetically  oriented patient from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida is concerned about the before and after appearance of the scar on her face following skin cancer surgery.  In this video, she describes the scarless or invisible scar resulting from the MOHs surgery.

Italian researchers have proposed that the increased risk of malignant melanoma (MM) in obese patients is due to the underlying leptin resistance. Specifically, obese patients exhibit decreased melanogenesis and melanocyte DNA repair resulting from an increase in melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) antagonists (attractin, MCH, ASRP, and ASIP).

The increase in MSH antagonists in turn leads to a reduction in circulating MSH and melanocorticotropin receptors 1 and 4.  In my practice in Florida we see patients of all sizes with melanoma.

Consequently we advice everyone to do a good self screening exam and learn the ABCDE of melanoma. It is not just a cancer in obese people. The risk also increases over the age of 40.

More information on this article : Obesity Risks for Melanoma