<%@ Language=JavaScript %> Adult Dermatology5
 

  

           A Professional Association

             185 Page Rd. -  Suite A  -  Pinehurst, NC  28374

             Phone:  (910) 295-5567           Fax:  (910) 295-3315

Stephen E. Rostan, MD

R. Carter Grine, MD

Board Certified By the American Board of Dermatology and Dermatopathology

Board Certified By the American Board of Dermatology

Pamela Guest, MD

  

Board Certified By the American Board of Dermatology

 Elena M. Avila, PA-C

 


Adult Dermatology

Periodic Self Examination
Prevention of melanoma/skin cancer is the best weapon against these diseases.  But if a melanoma should develop, it is almost always curable if caught in the early stages. Practice periodic self-examination to aid in early recognition of any new or developing lesion.  The following  is one way of self-examination that will ensure that no area of the body is neglected.  To perform your self examination you will need a full length mirror, a hand mirror and a brightly-lit room.

1.  Examine body front and back in mirror, then right and left sides, arms raised.

2.  Bend elbows, look carefully at forearms, back of upper arms, and palms.

3.  Next, look at backs of legs and feet, spaces between toes, and soles.

4.  Examine back of neck and scalp with a hand mirror.  Part hair to lift

5.  Finally, check back and buttocks with a hand mirror
         
How Skin Cancer is Treated
Biopsy is the method most commonly used to diagnose skin cancer. The procedure requires the suspicious lesion to be surgically removed. The specimen is then sent to an experienced pathologist who can examine it under a microscope for evidence of cancer.

If a skin biopsy reveals that an area of skin is cancerous, the dermatologist has an array of surgical procedures to treat the cancer depending on the needs of the individual patient.  Early detection and removal offer the best chance for cure.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States and one of the easiest to cure. It is also one of the easiest to prevent, by avoiding exposure to the sun.

Melanoma, however, is more challenging to treat than the more prevalent non-melanoma skin cancers. It can spread throughout the body and prove fatal, but it also is usually cured when diagnosed early.