Designer Bracelet Protects Against Sun-damaged Skin

Yes, it is 8 degrees outside right now. However, spring is right around the corner which means the sun is about to make its damaging debut. 

"The new June Bracelet, designed by Louis Vuitton and Harry Winston collaborator Camille Toupet, is a gem-like sensor that tracks sun exposure in real time. It syncs its findings to an app on your smartphone and gives advice about how much sunscreen to apply and whether it might be time to cover up with a hat and shades."

The June Bracelet is not available for another five months but it promises the utmost protection against the sun's harmful UV rays which causes premature skin aging and skin damage.

To learn more about the June Bracelet and healthy options to getting your Vitamin D intake, visit the article here. 

Love Your Glove (Hand)

Look at the images below. Do you see any difference in the two hands? These images are of an 83 year old female who is an avid golfer for more than sixty years. One hand looks 80 and the other... the gloved hand, looks 40. That is what sun damage does to your skin and how your glove can protect you.

One of a golfer’s greatest accessories in his game is his glove. It provides a more secure grip allowing for a smoother swing. In the end, a firm grip gives you better control over the direction of the ball. 

But, a golfer’s glove is not just an essential piece of equipment. Like many clothing options, the glove also serves as protection from sun damage and skin cancer. Clothes offer some SPF protection from ultraviolet rays, but it is critical that we also apply and reapply sunscreen during the summer months. As athletes, you enjoy the great outdoor weather but it is easy to forget to reapply your sunscreen. And with over one million new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed each year, covering up will protect your skin and prevent aging your skin.

#mcleanderm #askdrlily #golf #sunprotection 

Melanoma Monday: May is Melanoma Awareness Month

Drivers are failing to use their sunscreen. Utilizing sun protection measures while driving is just as important as wearing your sunscreen at the beach.

Most patients feel it is unnecessary to apply sunscreen before driving in their car.  Compared to the 73% of the public who apply daily general sunscreen, only 48% of people apply their SPF before getting in the driver seat.

Poor compliance with the application of sun protection can result in the development of deadly skin cancers. Make sure to purchase your sunscreen before the summer sun sneaks through your windows.

Baby Contracts Melanoma While Still in the Womb

Read this article from ABC News about the risks of Melanoma.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/arizona-baby-melanoma-mothers-womb-alive/story?id=18922718

Spring = Skin Check Season

Before the summer sun cooks your skin and you start to look like your leather handbag, come in for a comprehensive head-to-toe skin check and cancer screening.

At McLean Dermatology, we are committed to providing you with the best dermatologic care – that includes ensuring you and your skin are ready for this, and every, summer.

The rate of melanoma, which is the deadliest form of skin cancer, has increased in the U.S. at a rapid pace. Why, do you ask? Everybody knows you must live by the rule: apply and reapply!  Proper sun protection - sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, rash guards, and surf shorts – are all must-haves in the sun.

There are so many choices of sunscreens, which one do I buy?

-Look on the bottles for these words: water-resistant, broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or higher (Ex: Elta MD)

Do I still have to wear sunscreen even when it’s cloudy?

-Yes! The most harmful, UV rays, can pass through windows, clouds, rain, and cement.

If I wear foundation with SPF, is that enough?

-Although it helps, wearing just makeup with a built-in SPF is not strong enough. Make it a habit to put on sunscreen before your makeup.

Outsmart skin cancer with these helpful hints:

Avoid tanning beds

   -Even one tanning session increases your lifetime risk of developing melanoma by 20%!

Apply your SPF in the morning (and REAPPLY!)

   -If you’re out all day and not reapplying sunscreen every 40-80 minutes you’re putting yourself at risk.

Eat your fruits and veggies

   - Leafy greens and citrus fruits guard against UV damage

Perform self-tests

   - Any mole or spot you think might be harmful very well could be. Making an appointment with your dermatologist is the first step to healthy skin.

Do not smoke

   -Up there with tanning beds, smoking in a Class 1 carcinogen.

Rethink the Ink

Within the past ten years the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) constructed a survey of five hundred individuals between the ages of 18-50, 24% reported having a tattoo.  Of these individuals, 16% had gotten their first tattoo by the age of eighteen.  Today, however, 17% of them have considered getting their tattoo removed, but none have actually gone through with it. 

Whether the reason for garnishing your skin with ink is impulsiveness or personal expression, tattoos over time can become regretful.  Those with unwanted ink can testify that the meanings behind their tattoos may become no longer significant. Not to mention the price and pain associated with getting a tattoo removed. That once vibrant tulip located on your hip, the initials of your high school boyfriend on your wrist, or the tattoo of your favorite quote from spring break that takes up your entire rib cage are all constant reminders of how permanent tattoos really are.

 For it being such a popular fad, many of us know very little about tattoos.  The risks associated with getting one are both dangerous and painful.  If you have never gone under the needle before here are a few threats linked to getting inked:

Allergic Reactions – Tattoo dyes, especially blue, red, green, and yellow, can cause allergic skin reactions resulting in an itchy rash around the area of the tattoo.

Bloodborne Diseases – The equipment used to create your tattoo can be contaminated with infected blood from the previous client, making you susceptible to disease.  These diseases include tetanus, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C.

Skin Infection – Small bumps called granulomas sometimes form around the ink of the tattoo that can develop into keloids, or raised areas of overgrown scar tissue.  Tattoos have also been known to cause redness, swelling, and even pus-like drainage of the site.

Cancer Risk - Several chemists have identified low levels of carcinogens in tattoo ink. In the tattoo removal process the pigment is scorched with heat, triggering chemical reactions to generate carcinogenic products absorbed by the body.

A new FDA warning was just released warning people not to be tricked into getting the “safe” and temporary alternative, a henna tattoo.  Permanent tattoo ink is injected into the skin, whereas henna tattoo ink is applied to the skin’s surface. The most popular henna “black ink” often contains a coal-tar hair dye containing p-phenylenediamine (PPD). This ingredient can cause dangerous skin reactions.  By law the ingredient PPD, because of the severity of it’s harmful factors, is not even permitted in cosmetics.   Serious and long-term reactions have been reported which include redness, blistering of the site, raised lesions, loss of pigmentation, sensitivity to sunlight, and permanent scarring. Reactions can appear immediately or take weeks to show.

So if you feel the risks aren’t enough to deter you, think about how unattractive tattoos look on more “mature” skin. It’s not always pretty!