Dr. Rosie - Skin Cancer - June 2018

Our health expert Dr. Naresh Rosie Chauhan ("Dr. Rosie") is a medical doctor who trained in the NHS in the UK and later in the United States. Her specialty is internal medicine, rheumatology, and aesthetics. This week, Dr. Rosie talked about skin cancer, which is the most common form of cancer. It usually occurs through sun exposure or sunbed use, affecting, for example, the face, neck, back of your shoulders or back of your hands. The usual suspects are basal cell carcinoma, which doesn't usually spread; squamous cell carcinoma; and the least common, but the most serious, melanoma. The warning signs can be detected in the topmost layer of the skin, but aren't necessarily glaring: lumps, bumps, pain, bleeding, scaling, distinctive ulcers and of course changing moles. Treatment can include surgery or radiation and chemotherapy. The mainstay of prevention is sunscreen, which also prevents skin damage, and premature aging. SPF 15 may prevent up to 93 percent of UVB rays. SPF 30 offers a protection rate of 97 percent. SPF 50 protects 98 percent. Avoid the most intense sun rays between 10 am and 2 pm, and reapply sunscreen liberally throughout the day, AND, of course, if you notice any changes to your skin and especially moles, see your physician as soon as possible!