Macungie, September 8, 2022 - Tips & Tricks from Dermatology Partners Certified Physician Assistant Nicole Schnell, PA-C from our Macungie and Laurys Station Offices Dermatology Partners - Macungie
Macungie, September 8, 2022
Now that summer-fun in the sun is dwindling down to the last days, and we’re transitioning into fall. It is the perfect time to re-evaluate your skincare needs during this transition between summer and fall.
September is National Skin Care Awareness month, and it could not come at a better time of the year as we often, during this time of year, forget good skincare habits. Here are reminders to take a moment for yourself and your skin to get back on the right track to a good skincare routine. Help your skin be the best it can be with these skin care tips to insure healthier, looking skin.
A Healthier Skincare Routine:
Cleanser: Important for removing dirt, and grime from your skin from the day to leaving a clean surface.
Serum: Implies that it has antioxidants and other skin nutrients, which help repair skin damage, and protect the skin.
Eye cream: To help brighten the under eye area.
Prescribed facial Medications: If advised by your doctor, perhaps for acne. This also includes face masks.
Moisturizer: Helps to create a nice, healthy skin barrier so it's not too sensitive to the environment and dry skin that shows accelerated signs of aging.
Sunscreen: Protects us from skin cancer and advanced photoaging.
Routine Do’s:
To cleanse the face: Apply a non abrasive, alcohol-free cleanser using the fingertips, and rinse with lukewarm water. Do this in the morning, at night, and after sweating heavily.
Clean face: Gently pat the skin dry with a clean, soft towel.
Apply treatments: Apply any medicated treatments.
Apply moisturizer: Apply a moisturizer that is suitable for the skin type and when the skin is still damp.
Apply a consistent skincare routine: Have a consistent morning and nighttime skin care routine for better results.
The month of September is the perfect time to see a skin expert. After all the summer-fun of extensive sun exposure, which is a major risk factor for developing the three most common types of skin cancer. Skin cancer is highly treatable when detected in time. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to avoid its spread to surrounding tissue, nerves, and bones. As part of a complete early detection strategy, we recommend that you see a dermatologist once a year for a full-body, professional skin exam or more often if you are at a higher risk of skin cancer.
Preparation for exam and to make the most out of your appointment, follow these steps:
Perform a self-exam: Your post-summer fall-body evaluation can start today with a self-examination to familiarize yourself with what is normal for your skin and see if there are any areas that cause you concern. You should inspect your skin monthly for new bumps, spots, scaly patches that aren’t healing, and moles or dark spots that are showing. Come to your appointment about any new, changing, or unusual spots you want to point out that cause you concern. Take photos of a spot that has changed over time, and be sure to show them to your dermatologist.
Remove nail polish: Removing nail polish from your fingers and toes can help enable a thorough examination of the fingers, nails, and nail beds since skin cancers can form there.
Wear your hair loose: Remove pony tails, buns, or hair clips so that your doctor can get a thorough look at your scalp where skin cancers can, and often do develop on the scalp of your head.
Do not wear makeup: Remove any makeup prior to your appointment, and exam so that your doctor can get a thorough look around your eyes during the examination.
Ask questions: Do not hesitate to ask your provider with any questions or concerns you may have during your examination. This is your opportunity to get valuable advice and insight from a professional trained specifically in diseases of the hair, skin, and nails. Your provider is an excellent source of information!
What to expect during a exam:
Brief: The exam will likely be brief (about 10 minutes or so).
Removal of clothing: You’ll need to remove your clothes and put on a medical exam gown. It is unlikely you will be told to remove your underwear, unless you indicated that a spot on your genitalia concerns you.
Examination: Your dermatologist will thoroughly check your skin from head to toe, paying close attention to hard-to-see-spots like your scalp, back, and buttocks, behind your ears, and even between your toes. Your dermatologist may use a small handheld magnifying device called a dermatoscope, that visualizes the outer surface of the skin (the epidermis) and the layers just beneath it.
Biopsy: Your provider may biopsy one or more suspicious spots. This usually means removing part of all of the lesion and sending it to the lab for analysis.
Report: If the report comes back that the spot is skin cancer, your provider will contact you and explain the type of skin cancer and treatment options with you.
Remember that early detection of skin cancer is the key to the most minimal and cost-effective treatment with the highest chances of a cure. Make an appointment with your dermatologist whether you have never done so before or if you haven’t had a regular visit with your doctor, your skin will benefit from a full-body exam. Fall is the perfect time to schedule your annual full-body exam screening to familiarize yourself with what is normal for your skin and to see if there are any areas that cause you concern.
Nicole Schnell, PA-C specializes in general dermatology, and skin cancer detection and treatment in patients of all ages. Schedule with certified physician assistant Nicole Schnell, PA-C at our Macungie and Laurys Station offices. She is accepting new patients, insurance is accepted, and immediate appointments are available at both locations. To schedule an appointment please call us at (888) 895-3376 or visit www.dermpartners.comto schedule online.
