One fact that you should always keep in mind s that early detection will help save your life. There are so many ways that this is true and I would like to take a minute to walk you through a few of them!
Skin cancer. It is summer and I am sure you are enjoying spending time outside! Hopefully you are also applying your sunscreen or wearing a hat! Even if you are (or are not) you need to keep in mind that your skin is a continually growing and developing part of our body just like anything else.
That said you should always be checking your skin for moles. When you look at the moles that can be located anywhere on your body, make sure to follow the ABCDEF’s of skin cancer:
A – Asymmetry. Does the mole look perfectly round or is it asymmetric?
B – Border. Does it have a defined border?
C – Color. Is the mole a brownish color?
D – Diameter. Is the mole approximately 3-4 mm?
E – Elevation. Is the mole flat?
F – Feeling. Is the mole itchy or uncomfortable or does it feel like normal skin?
If you can answer “no” to any of the above, then please come in and see us! It takes very little time to check a mole and it is a painless procedure.
Breast cancer. Men and women both have breasts; therefore, we all need to be educated about breast cancer and the prevention of it! Typically it’s best to pick one time of the month, the same date each month, to check your breasts. For women, it’s typically a week after your period starts. You can use the pads of your fingers and move them in a circular motion around your breast feeling for any type of lumps or bumps, tenderness or anything that doesn’t feel normal. The shower is a great place to do your exam since you can use a little soap to make the exam easier. If you feel anything abnormal, please come in and see us!
There are many other types of cancers but these are two that I wanted to highlight.
If you take one nugget of advice away from this post, please remember that early detection can help save your life and second, to know what is normal for YOU. Please come in to see us if you have anything unusual going on so we can help check it out.
At Carlos and Parnell, M.D., P.A. our professional and caring staff makes the difference with patient care. – See more at: http://www.dev.carlosparnellmd.com/thermometers-and-babies/#sthash.MFvVROkI.dpuf
