There has been an alarming rise in precancerous lesions called actinic keratoses (AKs), as well as in basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, the most common skin cancers, especially in the young.
Please remember that significant sun exposure incurred before the age of 20 often leads to cancer 10 to 20 years later and to wrinkles even sooner.
We strongly recommend that patients undergo at least one baseline total body skin exam during which each square inch of skin and all moles are examined. The frequency of these exams will be determined by the skin’s condition and personal and family history of melanoma. With each first time total body check we teach our patients how to recognize the early warning signs of skin cancer.
Suspicious lesions are usually biopsied immediately and sent for histopathological examination to Yale, New Haven. All mole and skin cancer surgeries are performed in the office, under local anesthesia, by Henry Gasiorowski MD. Patients requiring Mohs’ surgery are referred to the best Mohs’ specialists.
