How your dermatologists in Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, and Cumming, GA, can help prevent skin cancer

If you have fair skin, freckles, or spend a lot of time out in the sun, you are at greater risk of developing skin cancer. Even if you are at less risk of skin cancer, a regular skin cancer exam is a must do. Your dermatologist can help.

The dermatologists at Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Diseases provide a wide range of cosmetic and medical dermatology services, including skin cancer examinations. They have several convenient office locations in Georgia including Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, and Cumming, GA, to help you.

Skin cancer is a common type of cancer and it can be deadly. The harmful effects of sun exposure are cumulative, so excessive sun exposure may not show up until years later.

Skin cancer can sneak up on you, which is why skin cancer exams are so important. A harmless looking mole may turn into a cancerous mole over time.

Your dermatologist will examine your skin and look for:

• Red, scaly patches of skin
• Itchy, rough patches of skin
• Large moles, at least 6 millimeters in diameter
• Moles with irregular, ragged borders
• Moles with asymmetrical shapes
• Moles that itch, bleed, or ooze
• Moles that have regrown after previous removal

During your skin cancer examination, your dermatologist may remove a sample of tissue, or remove the entire mole for biopsy. A biopsy is the way to tell whether tissue is cancerous, and what type of cancer it is.

Remember that you can help prevent skin cancer too if you:

• Wear a sunscreen of at least SPF 30 daily
• Wear hats, sunglasses, and other protective items to cover your scalp and ears
• Try to stay out of direct sunlight between the hours of 10 am and 2 pm, when ultraviolet rays are most harmful

To find out more about skin cancer and what to expect during a skin cancer exam, talk with an expert. Call the dermatologists at Atlanta Center for Dermatologic Diseases. You can reach them in Sandy Springs, GA, by calling (404) 252-4333, Roswell, GA, at (770) 751-1133, Alpharetta, GA, at (770) 664-5225, or in Cumming, GA, by calling (770) 844-1902. Call today.