Skin Conditions

MEDICAL CONDITION SUGGESTED SOLUTION DISEASE MANAGEMENT / SCREENING GUIDELINES IN THE UNITED STATES STATISTICS / RISK REDUCTION
Skin Condition / Skin Diseases


 You should have a total body skin examination yearly by a dermatologist or trained health care provider (specializing in diseases of the skin and skin cancer) if you have a personal history of skin cancer, a family history of melanoma, multiple nevi, nevi which are changing in appearance, have received ultra violet light treatment for psoriasis, received radiation therapy for cancer in childhood, are on specialized medications after organ transplantation, have naturally red or blonde hair, tendency to freckle, or develop skin burns easily.

(National Guidelines Clearinghouse)

(Skin Cancer Screening)

Individuals at very high risk for skin cancer should have total body skin examination by a dermatologist or trained health care provider yearly. That would include the following individuals:
• On immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation.
• A personal history of skin cancer
• Two or more first-degree relatives with melanoma.
• More than 100 nevi in total or 5+ atypical nevi.
• Have received more than 250 treatments with psoralen-ultraviolet light (PUVA) for psoriasis.
• Received radiation therapy for cancer as a child.

Individuals with 2 or more risk factors are at high risk for skin cancer and would benefit from yearly total body skin examination. That would include individuals with:
• A first-degree relative with melanoma
• Many (50-100) nevi.
• One or more atypical (dysplastic) nevi.
• Naturally red or blonde hair.
• A tendency to freckle.
• Skin that burns easily and tans poorly or not at all.

(National Guidelines Clearinghouse)

(Skin Cancer Screening)

• In the United States more than 1 million new cases of skin cancer were expected to be diagnosed in 2008.
• 116,500 new cases of melanoma were expected to be diagnosed in 2008.
• 1 individual in the United States dies of melanoma almost every hour.
• More than 1 million individuals use tanning salons daily in the United States.
• The United States Department of Health and Human Services have declared ultra violet radiation from tanning bed and sun lamps as a known carcinogen.

(American Academy of Dermatology 2008-2009 Skin Cancer Public Service Advertisements.)

• Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and affects more than 1 million individuals yearly.
• That leads to 10,000 deaths annually.

(National Cancer Institute.)
(Skin Cancer Topics)