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Know Your Moles: The Importance of Skin Screenings

Summer may not officially be here quite yet, but sun season definitely is.  We’ll soak up a lot of rays in the next few months, but before we do: a remind...

Summer may not officially be here quite yet, but sun season definitely is.  We'll soak up a lot of rays in the next few months, but before we do: a reminder about how important it is to protect your skin from sun damage, and to check to see if damage hasn't already been done.

When it comes to skin cancer, Kathy Buckley of Drums isn't taking any chances.

"My mother had melanoma in her 50's. She has her 85th birthday this year! So she was diagnosed early, they were able to excise it, and she's here to talk about it," Kathy says.

She tells us she has plenty of moles, and although she uses sunscreen, she likes to spend time outdoors.  That's why she took advantage of a skin cancer screening at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center last week.   Dr. Paul Long, a dermatologist, says they've been offering the screenings, free and open to the public, for years now.  They typically happen on a specific day in May, which is Melanoma Awareness Month.

"Everybody has moles. They're round, usually a shade of brown. But when they don't look normal the shape is odd, the mix of colors is a jumble, these are a tip-off that it needs a closer look, maybe there's something wrong," says Dr. Long.

He notes that patients can ask about specific locations they might be worried about, or go for the full body scan.

"There's nothing magical about it. We look over the skin very thoroughly, with good lighting in an exam room, and we use magnifiers to determine if a legion is suspicious or not suspicious," Dr. Long tells us.

Skin cancer can hit anybody, but there are certain groups that need to pay special attention to spots and moles, including the fair-skinned, people who burn easily and/or have light hair and eyes; those with an extensive sun exposure history such as construction workers, landscapers or lifeguards; those with a family history of melanoma; and those who've had several blistering sunburns in their lifetime, even as a child.

Kathy's family history was a concern, and so were two moles she recently noticed on her face.  But it turns out she is in the clear.

Geisinger's skin cancer screening was a one-day event, but any dermatologist would be able to take a look if you have concerns.

 

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