“A complete skin cancer screening takes only five minutes,” according to Julian Trevino, M.D., associate professor and Dermatology Residency Program Director at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine. “Anyone who is concerned about a worrisome skin lesion should have a screening,” Trevino explains. “If the skin lesion has enlarged or changed color, or if it has become painful, sore or irritated, it should be checked by a physician. If a person has a pigmented lesion that turns out to be a melanoma, removing it at an early stage could save your life. Other types of skin cancer, when detected early, can be removed before they become large and disfiguring.”

What's a DermaScan™? The DermaScan™ is a simple device that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to show the sun damage that is invisible to the naked human eye. By looking into the DermaScan™, you can see the sun damage that has already happened to your face.

According to the American Cancer Society, skin cancer is the most common of all cancer types. There are more than 1 million skin cancers found each year in the United States. That’s more than prostate, breast, lung, colon, uterine, ovarian and pancreas cancer combined. And the number of skin cancers has been steadily rising for the past 30 years.

The good news is there is a lot you can do to protect yourself and your family from skin cancer. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, but some may come from artificial sources, such as tanning beds.

In an ideal world, skin cancer could be prevented. But many people spent too much time in the sun before they learned how dangerous it could be. The next best opportunity is to find skin cancer as early as possible. Multiple dermatologists practicing throughout the Miami Valley participate in skin cancer screening clinics held each May in conjunction with the American Academy of Dermatology to promote early detection and teach prevention of skin cancer.