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The Importance of Annual Skin Exams

Routinely having a skin exam is an important part of maintaining overall health, and it’s something that only increases in importance as you age. Below is a brief overview on some of the many reasons that getting annual skin exams are an important and worthwhile investment in your long-term health. Let’s see the importance of annual skin exams.

The Importance of Annual Skin Exams

Routine skin exams can help you to stay up-to-date on the general health of your skin, as well as alert you to any possible problems that might arise. By getting to these issues early, you can decrease the chance of having more serious issues down the line.

Risk Factors For Skin Health

There are a number of risk factors that can make your skin more vulnerable to harm from stressors. Some of these include:

  • Having blonde or red hair
  • Fair skin
  • Skin that has many freckles or easily sunburns
  • Personal history of tanning
  • Family history of melanoma and skin cancer
  • Conspicuous moles

And quite a few more. If you have one or more of these indicating risk factors, it’s in your interest to schedule regular skin exams in order to ensure that you stay apprised of the status of your skin’s health.

What Occurs During A Skin Exam?

During a skin exam by a dermatologist, your physician will examine and observe your skin all over your body in order to determine whether there are any abrasions or unusual markings that might indicate some abnormality in your skin’s health.

Licensed dermatologists have a set of specialized tools that can peer into the markings on your skin to get a higher resolution view on the markings and see whether there’s anything to be concerned about.

During the screening, your doctor will take note of any strange markings that they feel like warrant extra attention or may be of some concern.

If you keep your visits and exams regular, your physician will reference these notes upon future examinations, helping to build a personal relationship with your skin’s history.

When Should You Begin Having Annual Skin Exams?

It’s a smart idea to begin having annual exams while you’re in your 20s and 30s, as even at those young ages, the skin can incur damages that will impact its long-term health.

While the chance of developing melanoma and other issues of the skin is relatively low at younger ages, it’s not out of the question, and a physician will be able to guide you toward making overall healthier skin choices for overall well being.

What Are The Types of Skin Exams

There are several types of skin exams, ranging from the general exam to ones designed to have more specific effects.

Some of the more specific exams include skin cancer screenings, as well as full-body skin exams designed to help observe any abnormal abrasion of the skin.

If there are any abrasions that warrant extra attention, your dermatologist may take a sample of a lesion.

By building a relationship with your dermatologist and committing to annual exams, you’ll be able to ask them what the most appropriate type of exam is for you on any given visit.

The Professional Edge

Many initial skin issues are very hard to detect, which makes a professional medical eye that much more valuable when scanning for potential issues.

Another advantage that having a skin exam can provide, apart from keeping track of more serious concerns, is that a trained dermatologist can help recommend treatments or products that can improve the health of your skin and address minor issues.

Oftentimes these solutions reach beyond the ability of at-home options, and are only available in medical environments.

So even if you don’t have any pressing concerns with your skin, and just want to increase its appearance and general ambience.

What Types of Treatments Are Available?

If you decide that you would like a professional dermatological treatment of the skin for whatever reason, there are a number of safe and non-surgical options available.

Some of the most popular of these include Laser Treatments, Injectables, and treatments like Microneedling and Chemical Peels.

By consulting with your dermatologist, you’ll likely come up with a skin solution that is safe, effective and relatively low in stress to achieve your goals with your skin.

Serving NYC the Best Care Available

Dr. Sheryl Clark has been serving NYC’s Upper East Side community for years, offering world-class medical care at reasonable prices. If you’re interested in contacting her and setting up an appointment, please visit her website and peruse the available options.