Your skin serves as a barrier to protect your body. It is vulnerable to the effects of aging and the environment and may reflect a variety of conditions and illnesses.
To treat and manage these conditions, your skin requires expert care. Dermatology is the medical and surgical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the skin, mouth, hair, and nails.
In addition to treating all common disorders of the skin, hair, and nails, we also receive challenging referrals, thanks to the reputation of our highly respected doctor.
We treat patients of all ages with common disorders such as acne, rosacea, warts, superficial wounds, skin infections and skin ulcers, psoriasis, eczema, allergic and contact dermatitis, skin cancers, and a host of other skin conditions.
Skin Cancer Detection & Surgery
When people think of cancer, skin cancer is unlikely to be the first type of cancer that comes to mind. But perhaps it should be.
That’s because the number of skin cancer cases is increasing dramatically. Malignant melanoma, the most serious kind of cancer, has jumped from impacting one in 2,500 people in 1930 to one in 65 people today.
At Michigan’s Pinnacle Dermatology in Birmingham, we help patients take a proactive approach to skin cancer by conducting regular skin exams and advising them on the best techniques to prevent skin cancer.
If you are diagnosed with skin cancer, our doctors can help treat your condition quickly and effectively. To learn more about skin cancer treatments, or to schedule a skin exam, contact Pinnacle Dermatology today.
There are an estimated one million cases of basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma per year. In fact, about one third of our patients at Pinnacle Dermatology undergo treatment for skin cancer or pre-skin cancer.
If they are detected and treated early, these cancers are usually curable. There are a number of procedures used in the treatment of skin cancer, depending on the individual case.
At Pinnacle Dermatology, we are skilled at the removal of the affected tissue as well as repair of the surrounding area. We regularly evaluate abnormal moles and skin lesions that could be skin cancer.
We recommend that everyone have a total body skin exam once each year and encourage patients to consult us for an evaluation whenever they detect an unusual mole or lesion.
Meanwhile, we cannot overstate the importance of skin cancer prevention. And it’s actually easy to prevent skin cancer by being vigilant and taking measures to protect yourself.
Here are some tips:
- Always use sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Use sunscreen even on cloudy days.
- Try to stay out of the sun, or limit your exposure, when the sun is at its strongest, typically from mid-morning to mid-afternoon.
- Cover Up: Wearing protective clothing is a great skin cancer prevention technique.
- Wear a hat: Wearing hats that shade your face, neck and ears helps protect those areas from overexposure to the sun.
- Wear sunglasses: Sunglasses with 100 percent UVB and UVA absorption can help protect your eyes and surrounding skin.
- Don’t indoor tan: Tanning booths and beds should be avoided. Federal health officials have declared these tanning methods unsafe.
- Check Yourself Out: Performing a skin check at home once a month can help detect skin problems early. If you notice changes to your skin, new growths, or moles that have gotten bigger, make an appointment at Pinnacle Dermatology so our doctors can determine if any of the changes represent a health problem.
Healthy skin is a key part of maintaining good overall health and you should take steps to ensure your skin remains healthy. At Pinnacle Dermatology, fighting skin cancer is at the core of our practice’s mission.
Take the first step toward skin health and preventing skin cancer. Contact Pinnacle Dermatology today to schedule a skin exam.
