Washington University Dermatology – West County Patient Awareness & Information Program.

Washington UniversityDermatology – West County

Patient Awareness & Information Program

• Improve patient awareness of dermatologic conditions and therapies

• Recognize a potential problem faster

• Increase awareness of new therapies and services

• Seek advice from your physician

• Help you maintain healthy skin!

• To improve the health of people through excellence in patient care and medical discovery

• To be recognized as a world leader in innovative, highest quality medical care

• To provide outstanding education and training for current and future generations of physicians

• Sun Safety & Your Skin

– The over exposure to UV radiation from sun and tanning beds are believed to contribute to skin cancer. Cloudy days cause sunburn too!

– Skin aging and skin cancer are delayed effects of overexposure to sun.

– Premature wrinkles (aging) are one result of repeated exposure to sun over a long time. It’s not heat but the UV rays that are the problem!

atient Informationatient Information

• Sun Safety & Your Skin (continued)

– Advice

• Avoid the sun’s strongest rays (afternoons)

• Wear protective covering (hats, shirts, pants)

• Wear sunglasses that provide UV protection

• Wear SPF 15 or more sunscreen/lotion

• Teach children to protect themselves


Prevention is better than cure. - Desiderius Erasmus b. Geert Geerts (c.1466–1536) Dutch philosopher

• Patients are responsible for knowing and understanding their health plan. Please understand your copays and deductibles.

• Sometimes you and your physician decide to perform unscheduled procedures, which may increase the amount you/your insurance are billed.

• Biopsies/excisions often require a pathologist’s review; you may receive an additional bill for this service.

• Sun Safety & Your Skin (continued)

– Hat protection• Sunscreen does not provide complete protection• Hats reduce ultraviolet radiation to the head and

neck• Baseball caps provide less effective protection than

wide-brimmed or legionnaire type hats• Hat material should have a UPF or SPF of 30 or

more• Help children develop the good habit of wearing

hats outdoors


• Risky Behavior in Youth– Less than one in three 11-18 years old use sun

protection– 72% of youths (11-18) report getting a sunburn

during the summer– One in 10 youths 11-18 use tanning lamps; with

25% of 17-18 years old using lamps– The CDC reports that only 25% of parents require

children 12 or younger to use any sun protection


In short, the habits we form from childhood make no small difference, but rather they make all the difference. - Aristotle (384–322 BC) Greek philosopher

Quiz #1

Q1: A sunscreen of SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 means that the sunscreen will protect you 15 times a long as without it?

Q2: Going to a tanning salon can protect you from skin cancer by preparing you for sun exposure?


TRUE

FALSE

• Psoriasis

– A lifelong skin disease, afflicting 4.5 million adults. Unknown cause, but is related to the immune system.

– Symptoms

• Dry, red, scaly patches

– Typical therapies

• Lifelong treatment. No ‘cure’ yet.

– Phototherapy and/or topical ointments

– Biologic drugs (new)

– Laser (new)


• Laser treatment for psoriasis

• New XTRAC™ Excimer laser

• Uses highly concentrated ultraviolet light to treat scaly skin plaques

• Long-lasting relief

• Less visits required than typical phototherapy

• Ask your doctor or nurse about it

• Suspicious Moles– Description

• Appearance of the mole is irregular– Symptoms

• If appearance changes, see your dermatologist• Check yourself regularly. Look for danger signs.

– ABCDs (Danger signs)• Asymmetry (1/2 of mole is unlike the other half)• Border (is irregular)• Color (color varies in the mole itself)• Diameter (larger than a pencil eraser)


• Acne• Description: The pores of the skin become clogged

by normal shedding of skin and oils• Causes

• Genetics, hormones, bacteria, and abundance of skin oils

• Not caused by what you eat, dirt, or uncleanliness• Typical therapies

• Antibiotics• Topical lotions• Laser (new)


• Laser Treatment for Acne• Candela Smoothbeam™ laser

• FDA approved for acne and acne scarring

• Fast, Effective, Affordable

• Works for all ages and skin


He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils, for time is the greatest innovator. - Sir Francis Bacon Baron Verulam, Viscount St Albans (1561-1626) English philosopher Essays. Of Innovations (1597-1625)

• Skin Cancer – The most prevalent of all cancers. More

than 1 million people develop skin cancer each year.

– Avoid over exposure to sunlight, which is the main cause of skin cancer.

• Use SPF 15 or higher sunscreens• 80% of lifetime exposure is before 18

years of age!


There is nothing for the modern man or woman to fear aboutmost cases of cancer. Nothing except delay. - Mary Roberts Rinehart (1876–1958 ) American author

• Skin Cancer (continued)– Detect early

• Check yourself regularly• Check moles for changes in appearance• Look for any new skin growth, sore, or

discoloration of skin– Treatment

• Skin biopsy to check for cancer• A variety of procedures exist to treat and

remove skin cancers• Earlier is better


Quiz #2

Q1: UV rays are what cause burns and skin problems, not the heat?

Q2: Skin cancers are more easily treated than other types of cancer because they affect only the skin, not internal organs?


Examinations are formidable even to the best prepared, for the greatest fool may ask more than the wisest man can answer. - Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English author wrote Lacon,,2 volumes of aphorisms

TRUE

FALSE

• Syneron Galaxy™ Cosmetic Laser

• Treats wrinkles (eyes, mouth)

• Treats spider veins

• Skin rejuvenation (tighten, smooth)

• Effective & affordable

• Gentle


• Rosacea– Description: Affects the face of, usually, adults.– Symptoms

• Looks like constant blushing or sunburn• Can appear as broken or enlarged blood vessels• Can appear as enlarged, bumps on the nose

– Typical therapies• Lifelong treatment. No ‘cure’ yet.

– Antibiotics (oral and/or topical)– Topical steroids– Avoid rosacea “triggers”


• Liver Spots and Aging Hands– As people age, blemishes, commonly called liver

spots, can appear on the hands. Liver-spots are not cancerous.

– These spots, also called letigines or lentigos, are sharply defined, rounded, brown spots on the skin.

– The epidermis (top surface layer) is expanding with more pigment, developing what looks like a large freckle.

– Treatments: sunscreen, topical creams, cryosurgery, peeling, dermabrasion, laser.


Quiz #3

Q1: It is recommended that you have a full-body screening examination for skin cancer performed on a regular basis by your health care professional?

Q2: Protecting your skin during the first 18 years of life can reduce the risk of some types of skin cancer by up to 78%?


TRUE

TRUE

• Chemical Peeling– Typically performed on the face, neck, or

hands – Often used to treat fine lines under the eyes

and around the mouth• Wrinkles caused by sun damage, aging,

and heredity can be greatly reduced– Can help reduce sun spots, liver spots, and

freckles


Ask your doctor or nurse about this if you wish more information…

• Cosmetic Enhancements• Facial

• Hair removal (laser)• Wrinkle removal (laser)• Chemical peels• Acne treatment (laser)• Skin rejuvenation• Botox

• We thank the following companies for unrestricted donations, which helped us create this “Patient Awareness and Information Program.”

• Genentech

• AmgenThe difference between failure and success is doing a thing nearly right and doing it exactly right. - Edward C. Simmons (1839–1920) American merchant

For more information….www.aad.org (American Academy of Dermatology)

www.nlm.nih.gov (National Library of Medicine)

www.who.int/en (World Health Organization)

www.skincancer.org (Skin Cancer Foundation)

www.psoriasis.org (National Psoriasis Foundation)

www.weather.com (The Weather Channel: UV Index)

Washington University Dermatology – West County Patient Awareness & Information Program.

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