How Does Your Dermatologist Know if it’s Skin Cancer?

Written by

How Does Your Dermatologist Know if it’s Skin Cancer?

What are the dangers of diagnosing your own skin problem? Well, the first point is you may get the wrong diagnosis. Not good if you have melanoma. Or basal cell carcinoma. You might be trying to link it up to some picture on the Internet or something you saw in a book and just be off.

You might, as a result, have some condition that gets worse before it has a chance to be taken care of properly. The second point is that when a dermatologist looks at the skin condition, he thinks there are a number of different possibilities. It may be that one of the possibilities is that it’s lower on the list that you might miss when you’re looking online.

There is always the possibility that the skin condition might partake of more than one actual diagnosis and may have something in between. Finally, it’s possible that there are underlying problems that are involved that you will miss when you just come across the name of a condition. This is something where somebody who takes a more integrated or holistic viewpoint can be very helpful.

3 Potential Dangers of Sunscreen ~ Best Natural Skincare

Written by

3 Potential Dangers of Sunscreen

First of all, there may be some hormonal activity in sunscreens that could cause problems later on influencing how your body is given hormones and possibility causing cancer in the future.

Second of all, some sunscreens can cause a photo allergic reaction if you happen to be the wrong type and those sunscreens interact with you.

The third thing that sun screen can cause is some tendency to stay in the sun too long. Some people put on sunscreens, stay out on the beach for six or eight hours and although they don’t burn, they had dangerous rays that are entering the skin and could cause harmful tumors like melanoma.

What are the Chances that Spot is Skin Cancer? ~ Natural Skincare

Written by

What are the Chances that Spot is Skin Cancer? Natural Skincare Tips.

Have you been in the sun lately? There’s a lot of different kinds of skin cancer. If you are older and you had a lot of sun exposure and you have rough spots on your forehead and scalp and exposed areas of the body, that’s a good chance that they are pre-cancerous.

Nothing terrible or dangerous necessarily, but definitely something to treat before they get worse.  If you have a spot that is bleeding or breaking down, it has funny colors to it.  It could be something more dangerous and is definitely worth checking out.  There are a lot of different kinds of spots on the body and most that really are benign, but it takes a skilled eye to figure out which is which.

If you have a spot that just doesn’t seem right, or has something unusual about its appearance, or the way it feels, it’s a good idea to get checked out by the Dermatologist for natural skincare.

What’s the Right Amount of Sun Exposure for You? ~ Restorative Dermatology

Written by

WHAT’S THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF EXPOSURE FOR YOU ~ RESTORATIVE DERMATOLOGY

There are people who argue that you should get no sun exposure at all.  I’m not in that camp, as you can tell by my suntan.  However, I do protect myself as much as I can when I am outside.

I am a Mediterranean skin type with brown eyes and I can deal with ten or fifteen or twenty minutes of sun exposure with no problem. If I get a lot more sun exposure, I’ll get red. It’s the beginning of the season when I haven’t been outside it all. I’ll get even a chance at burning my skin, so I’m very careful with that. Now if you have light skin, you’re one of those types from whose family descends from the northern climates, then you could probably take less sun than that.

If your skin is darker, you can deal with even more sun, and not have a burn or as much damage. Remember our skin makes vitamin D. So the places that are family descended from determines how much sun we need to get through in order to make enough vitamin D. I think it’s important that you understand how much it takes to give yourself a little bit of vitamin D production, which could be ten or fifteen minutes on the side as an average, for an average person, say a Mediterranean skin type and from that, gauge how much sun you get, but certainly well before the time where you would turn red.

What does the FDA now say about Tanning Beds?

Written by

modern solarium bedFor some, a combination of good sense, protective genetics, and good luck protect them from skin cancer–even with an outdoor lifestyle.

I was on the beach in Sarasota recently, and I stopped by a group of kite surfers to inquire about what wetsuit I might need for a swim. They were adamant about protecting their skin with wetsuits and rashguards so that they don’t get any more (squamous cell) skin cancers.

Damage leading to skin cancer (and skin wrinkling) is often done by sunlamps to those who are too young to think about long term effects, or those who are mis-informed by the industry selling the lights or the tanning. While light exposure does lead to vitamin D production, and a little exposure can increase melanin production, I agree that legislation should be passed to better inform of the dangers and protect those under age from causing long term damage to their skin.

As a physician, I support of Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) proposed rule titled, “General and Plastic Surgery Devices: Restricted Sale, Distribution, and Use of Sunlamp Products.”

I commend the FDA on its leadership in regulating sunlamps and for taking this important step to protect the public health. It is estimated that indoor tanning causes upwards of 400,000 cases of skin cancer in the U.S. each year. In fact, using indoor tanning beds before age 35 can increase your risk of melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – by 59% and the risk increases with each use.

Be sensible about the sun, and protect yourself and your fellow Americans.

To your health,

Dr. Dattner

Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine

Got Dandruff?

Written by

Depositphotos_15595421_xsDo you have dandruff? One of the central factors in causing dandruff, or Seborrheic dermatitis, is an organism that lives in the skin of most people. That organism is a yeast that changes back and forth into a fungus. Interesting, huh? It used to be called Pityrosporum, but it is now is known as Malassezia species.

Here's my summation of the medical literature: it is your immune system’s reaction to Malassezia, which causes the inflammation, redness, and scaling that is characteristic of dandruff. Inflammation seems to depend on the presence, quantity, and type of exposure to other similar yeast and fungi entering the body, and other factors that affect the immune system.

The presence of related yeast and fungi is important because they may play some role in changing the body’s immune response to Malassezia in our skin, thus causing dandruff or other inflammatory skin conditions.

So it is very interesting to see a recent article that shows that other fungi of the same genus, Malassezia, are present in a variety of organisms as different as corals, deep sea hydrothermal vents, lobsters, eels, and Antarctic soils.  

So the exposures that increase our allergic reactivity to the Malsasezia in our skin may, and thus our dandruff, may be quite varied and completely unexpected. Diet, seafood, travel, and underwater adventures, may someday be linked to worsening or improvement of dandruff. Future holistic skincare treatments could include monitoring and changing these factors.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner, MD

Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine

Related articles
Acne Rosacea… Is it bugging you?
Natural Skincare: Have a Sweet Holiday…
What is natural skin care? [Part 5]

Skin Cancer: getting drunk and falling asleep in the sun?

Written by

6a00e55255b4628834017d431fd966970c-320wi

Scientists set about to do a meta-analysis of 16 different studies, covering 6251 cases of skin cancer.

They found a 20% increase in the incidence of melanoma in patients who drank alcohol on more than an occasional basis.

Unfortunately, the studies do not eliminate the possible relationship of sun exposure time. So it is possible that those with increased melanoma related to alcohol either hung out outside too long, or… fell asleep out in the sun.

Here is a link to the study.

To your health, 

Dr. Alan M Dattner, MD

Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine

Related articles
6a00e55255b462883401901b9799c7970b-200wi
Sunlight Controversy: How much sun is enough? How much is too much?
6a00e55255b462883401a511af6c64970c-200wi
Maximizing your energy, slowing aging, losing weight, and preventing diabetes.

Melanoma, Melatonin, and Vitamin D

Written by


happy young couple making heart shape with hands at sunsetTurns out Melatonin and Vitamin D may be useful in preventing recurrent melanoma formation, and may even have a preventative effect.

This might be most helpful in patients with Parkinson’s disease, who have an increased risk of melanoma, and also in those with a history of excessive sun exposure, other skin cancers, a family history of melanoma, or use of Viagra, which now is suspicious for increasing the incidence of melanoma.

Sunlight is a good source of Vitamin D.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M. Dattner MD

Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine

____________

CITATIONS

See comment David L. Keller, MD,MS2014 Apr 09 09:09 a.m.

See:Sildenafil Use and Increased Risk of Incident Melanoma in US Men: A Prospective Cohort Study.[JAMA Intern Med. 2014.]

Related articles
6a00e55255b462883401901b9799c7970b-200wi
Sunlight Controversy: How much sun is enough? How much is too much?
125258644_80_80
Vitamin D: Back in the News

Got Viagra? Check. Got melanoma? Maybe.

Written by


6a00e55255b462883401a3fd227564970b-300wiA prospective study published in the June 5th 2014 edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), had some ominous correlations. It was carried out with matched controls from the years 2000 to 2010, on 25,848 men, who had no previous history of skin cancer.

The study showed an increase in melanoma in me who used sildenafil, the chemical in Viagra. There was not an increase in the incidence of the two other major skin cancers, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, suggesting that this was not caused by other factors. Factors such as increased sun exposure, in those who took sildenafil. Those who used Sidenafil had roughly twice the liklihood of developing melanoma compared to those who did not. 

Mechanisms of activity of suggest that sildenafil by the nature of its activity as a phosphodiesterase activity inhibitor, may act like the gene activation (BRAF) that is known to be related to increased invasiveness of melanoma.

This study suggests possible association with the use of Viagra regarding risk of developing melanoma, but is too limited to absolutely prove this association. (Even after studying 25,000 men.) It is, however, a caution that use of Viagra, even once, may cause serious side effects that last more than 4 hours.

To your health,

Dr. Alan M Dattner, MD
Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine

_______________

Citations 

JAMA Intern Med. 2014 Jun 1;174(6):964-70. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2014.594.

Sildenafil Use and Increased Risk of Incident Melanoma in US Men: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Li WQ1, Qureshi AA2, Robinson KC3, Han J4.

Related articles
106514435_80_80
Grape Seed Extract Protects Against Skin Cancer
6a00e55255b462883401901b9799c7970b-200wi
Sunlight Controversy: How much sun is enough? How much is too much?

Carpe Cold: Seize the Cold

Written by

6a00e55255b4628834019101c0c9d9970c-200wiWhile I generally deal with holistic dermatology, I have lots of experience with integrative medicine as it relates to the immune system.  During cold and flu season, I tend to avoid flu vaccine.  So, over many years of working long hours in my practice, I have perfected my method for cold and flu prevention and care.

The moment I become aware of a lowered resistence–a sneeze, a tired feeling, an ache in my head or neck–is the moment a cold or flu can be prevented with a regimen of natural remedies. If I wait a bit and don’t catch the symptoms until several hours or a day after that moment, I may not be able to prevent the illness, but I can lessen its severity and duration.

Steps to take at the pivotal moment:

  • stop whatever you’re doing.  Take a nap if possible.  If not, rest your eyes for a few minutes.
  • take a very hot bath, and when you emerge from the tub, bundle yourself up, climb into bed, and let the body “sweat out the cold.”  (Be sure not to do this alone, as hot water can increase chance of fainting)
  • take healthy, regular doses of vitamins A, C, and E
  • take some echinacea or oregon graperoot
  • drink hot tea and keep the body full of fluids

Several hours of focused self-care at the right moment can prevent several days of illness, discomfort, and lost work–and it can keep you from spreading a cold or flu to loved ones.

To your health,

-Dr. Dattner

Holistic Dermatology & Integrative Medicine
New York

__

As always, the content of this blog is for information and education purposes only, and should not be used to diagnose or treat illness; please see your physician for care.