Of all the dermatologic concerns facing Vanguard patients, one of the most common—and certainly the most worrisome—is skin cancer. Skin cancer is so common, in fact, that it accounts for more cancer diagnoses in the United States each year than all other forms of cancer combined. It is estimated that 1 in 5 Americans will […]
Skin Cancer
Should I Be Worried If I’m Diagnosed with an Atypical Mole?
The problem with diagnosing moles and weeding out the potentially harmful from the benign is that moles are incredibly common. In fact, nearly everyone in the United States has at least one common mole, and those who do typically have several. Common moles are harmless and very rarely develop into skin cancers. However, the distinction […]
Skin Cancer on the Red Carpet – A Patient Story
As a dermatologist who specializes in skin cancer, I’ve been trained to spot abnormal lesions. Like a well-trained bomb-sniffing dog, it’s difficult for me to turn off this function. As a rule, I keep to myself in public, and my role as a dermatologist is nearly always performed within the clinical setting of Vanguard Skin […]
Summer Sun Protection from Skin Cancer
Around this time every year, we reach out to our patients and do all we can to stress the extreme importance of proper sun protection. While the sun is ever-present—especially at the high-elevations of Colorado—the summer months always pose the highest risk of prolonged, unprotected exposure to UV radiation and all the consequences (both visible […]
From Head to Toe: Why Our Dermatologists Insist on Full-body Skin Exams for Early Skin Cancer Detection
Of all the services offered at Vanguard Skin Specialists, none may be as vitally important to our patients’ health as annual full-body skin exams. Due to our elevation and bright, sunny days, Coloradans have an increased risk of developing skin cancer in their lifetime. Fortunately, most skin cancers are treatable and curable if detected early. […]
Skin Cancer Awareness: Early Detection and Prevention are Key
By Michael Leslie, MD, PhD As May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage each and every one of you to take a moment for self-care. With our hectic lifestyles and numerous obligations, it is easy to overlook the importance of a routine skin exam or push it […]
Is Skin Cancer on the Rise?
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. There are more cases of skin cancer than breast, colon, lung, and prostate cancer all combined. One in five Americans will be diagnosed with skin cancer in his/her lifetime. With these high statistics, are we seeing an improvement in skin cancer incidence? Unfortunately, the answer is […]