DERMATOLOGY

It sounds almost too simple to be true, but the same little song that got you through kindergarten could now save your life. Best of all, you don't even have to be able to carry a tune to use this tool. Every sixty-seven minutes, someone dies of melanoma; a sad statistic that does not have to be. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, skin cancer is the most prevalent of all types of cancer and affects more than one million Americans every year.

If your childhood included lazy days at the beach, armed with a bottle of baby oil, or lots of time in the sun in the days before sunscreen was a beach bag staple, you will want to be practicing your ABCs and having dermatologic exams on an annual basis. It's easy to become familiar with your skin - after all, it's been with you your whole life - and regularly inspect your body for any skin changes, even minor ones.

When you check your skin, be sure to look for

A - Asymmetry - moles or pigmented spots that are unevenly matched in size, shape, color or thickness.

B - Border Irregularity - If the edges of your moles or spots are ragged, scalloped or poorly defined, you need to have them checked by a professional, like the ones at Treasure Coast Dermatology.

C - Color - Moles or spots that are not even in color or appear even slightly mottled are a sign that you need to pick up the phone and make an appointment with a board certified dermatologist.

D - Diameter and Difference - Think of the size of a pencil eraser from those days when you were learning your ABCs (remember pencils, they were big when you were a kid?). If your mole is larger than the size of a pencil eraser, or if it looks different from all the others you've acquired along with all that life experience, you should see a dermatologist. If your mole bleeds or itches, or just bothers you - even if it's smaller than a pencil eraser - pick up the phone and put your mind at ease.

E - Evolution or change in the lesion. Any change in a previously unchanging mole or pigmented spot should be reported to your dermatologist.

More than 46,000 Americans will develop melanoma, the most deadly of all skin cancers, this year. An estimated 7,700 of them will die from the disease, which is tragic because melanoma is usually curable when caught in its early stages. The way to catch skin cancer early? You guessed it - it's as simple as remembering your ABCs.

Dr. Tim Ioannides and Dr. Jonathan Sanders of Treasure Coast Dermatology want to make sure you enjoy your children, grandchildren, and even the great grands as well as all the neighbors, friends and loved ones you've collected through the years. While many dermatologists are dashing off to join the "Botox Blast and deal with cosmetic procedures which are all the rage here and elsewhere, the professionals at Treasure Coast Dermatology have made the choice to focus on your life, rather than on your looks. You also won't be seen by a Physician's Assistant instead of a doctor. At Treasure Coast Dermatology, you will find a professional office and you'll be examined by Dr. Ioannides or Dr. Sanders, both boardcertified dermatologists.

If you've never checked your skin before, let today be the day you shed your clothes and stand in front of the mirror singing your ABCs. It may seem a little funny to be doing it - at least the first time - but it may be the song that saves your life. For more information, or to meet with Dr. Ioannides or Dr. Sanders to put your mind at ease, call Treasure Coast Dermatology today.

When Amy Loomis noticed a tiny growth on her neck, she didn't give it much thought at first.

"It started off with a little skin tag, she recalls. "It kept getting longer and longer, bigger and bigger, but I didn't think anything of it.

Still, Amy didn't feel quite right about it, so she pointed out the growth to Jonathan Sanders, MD, JD, of Treasure Coast Dermatology.

"Dr. Sanders had previously treated me for psoriasis, explains Amy, "and he also took care of a couple of moles I had. He froze two of them and biopsied a couple of other ones.

Amy was wise to have the "little skin tag checked: it turned out to be squamous cell carcinoma, which Dr. Sanders removed for her with a minimally invasive surgical procedure. Amy says the surgery was not a difficult one for her.

"It was taken care of very nicely, she assures. "It was very easy, very comfortable.

Amy subsequently told her husband, George, that he should get a dermatologic exam as well. This suggestion proved lifesaving: George had a melanoma, the most aggressive and dangerous type of skin cancer.

Because skin cancer surgery must be performed in such a way as to leave the patient with the most cosmetically pleasing result possible, the surgeons at Treasure Coast Dermatology are trained in Mohs micrographic surgery, a highly specialized technique for precise, minimally invasive treatment of skin cancer.

"This procedure has the highest surgical cure rate for both basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, notes Dr. Ioannides.
The Mohs technique involves removing successive layers of tissue and immediately examining them with a microscope to determine at what point all signs of cancer have been excised.

"Mohs surgery has a number of indications, adds Dr. Sanders. "Location is an important one, especially in areas such as the face and hands. However, size of the lesion and whether it's recurrent may also lead a dermatologist to perform the Mohs procedure.

The entire procedure may take a few hours to complete, but actual surgical time is much less. Most of the time is spent in careful preparation and scrutiny of the excised tissue.

"If cancer cells are still evident in a layer of tissue, another thin layer is excised during the same procedure, explains Dr. Sanders. "The process is repeated until all the cancer cells are removed, preserving as much healthy tissue as possible around the site of the lesion.

"Dr. Sanders found the melanoma on my side, explains George. "If he hadn't caught it, it probably would have gone on for quite some time, because it was in an area where only someone who knows what they're looking for would notice it.

"Fortunately, Dr. Sanders found it far enough in advance so that he could take it out.

Like Amy's procedure, George's surgery experience was easy and comfortable.

"I went in, and about an hour later, I was walking out the door, he describes. "It healed up very quickly, and now everything is fine.
Both husband and wife report a singular devotion to Dr. Sanders.

"George and I both hit it off well with Dr. Sanders, says Amy, "and I'm very happy with him. I just feel like we're in very good hands with him. "Dr. Sanders is very caring, adds George. "He's very easy to talk to, and he has both a great bedside manner and sense of humor. I just feel so comfortable with him.

"George and I both hit it off well with Dr. Sanders, says Amy, "and I'm very happy with him. I just feel like we're in very good hands with him.