Dr. Vegas Monthly Blog
From the desk of Dr. H.L. Greenberg
In April of this year I gave an internal medicine grand rounds lecture to the medicine residents of UNLV on, “Skin Cancer” and May 21st, I will be speaking to the Philippine Nurses Association of Nevada on, “Skin Cancer in the Desert”. May is skin cancer awareness month, and Las Vegas Dermatology, will be teaming up with Neutrogena, the American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, DJ Romina and Miss United States 2015, Summer Priester on May 19th at the Venetian Hotel’s ultra-hip Tao Beach Club pool to raise awareness of this all too common disease by performing complimentary poolside skin cancer screenings. As a dermatologist, I feel it is my duty to spread skin cancer awareness whenever possible- be it through a lecture, attention grabbing community service event at a casino pool or through the tanning bed ban legislation that I helped to get passed in 2013 ending underage tanning beds in the state of Nevada.
It is estimated by the American Cancer Society that there will be over 1.7million cases of cancer in the US this year (not including skin cancers). It is estimated that there will be over 5 million cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 76,000 cases of melanoma this year in the United States. Because cancer data are so skewed with the inclusion of skin cancers, these cutaneous tumors, which I biopsy and treat every day at Las Vegas Dermatology are not included when it comes to the overall cancer #’s. Skin cancer is common, and it’s time for all of us to raise awareness when we can, and to examine our skin and the skin of our family for anything, new, growing, bleeding or changing.
There are a number of treatments available for sun-damaged skin including: Blue light treatments with levulan, which treats pre-cancers to topical therapies like efudex and imiquimod, which targets pre-cancers and skin cancers to chemical peels for brown spots and microneedling and carbon dioxide lasers for wrinkle removal and skin tightening. Every day, the signs of our misspent youth can be seen in the sun damage, skin cancers and wrinkles on our face. Join us this May as the Las Vegas Dermatology team promotes skin cancer awareness month. You don’t have to be a skin cancer victim or accept your sun-damaged skin; you can treat your less than perfect skin and prevent further worsening with a number of great treatment options by the skin care professionals at Las Vegas Dermatology.
