BEACHES
DERMATOLOGY
MEDICAL
DERMATOLOGY
At Beaches Dermatology, we are dedicated to providing top-notch medical dermatological care for a wide range of conditions. Below are just a few examples of various skin conditions that we diagnose and treat at all four locations.
Regularly checking your skin can help catch skin cancer early.
CLICK HERE to learn how to perform self skin-exams.
SUNSCREEN FAQS
What sunscreen should I use?
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends that everyone use sunscreen that offers the following:
Broad-spectrum protection (protects against UVA and UVB rays)
SPF 30 or higher
Water resistance
A sunscreen that offers the above helps to protect your skin from sunburn, early skin aging, and skin cancer. However, sunscreen alone cannot fully protect you. In addition to wearing sunscreen on skin not covered by clothing, dermatologists recommend taking the following steps to protect your skin.
Seek shade. The sun’s rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.
Wear sun-protective clothing such as a lightweight and long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses with UV protection, when possible. For more effective sun protection, select clothing with an ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) number on the label.
Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look tan, you may wish to use a self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.
Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
When should I use sunscreen?
You should apply sunscreen every day on skin not covered by clothing if you will be outside. The sun emits harmful UV rays year-round. Even on cloudy days, up to 80% of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate the clouds.
How much sunscreen should I use, and how often should I apply it?
Apply enough sunscreen to cover all skin not covered by clothing. Most adults need about 1 ounce — or enough to fill a shot glass — to fully cover their body.
Don't forget to apply it to the tops of your feet, your neck, your ears, and the top of your head.
Apply sunscreen to dry skin 15 minutes before going outdoors.
Skin cancer also can form on the lips. To protect your lips, apply a lip balm or lipstick that contains sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
When outdoors, reapply sunscreen approximately every two hours, or after swimming or sweating, according to the directions on the bottle.
Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVA and UVB rays. What is the difference between the rays?
Sunlight consists of two types of harmful rays that reach the earth — UVA rays and UVB rays. Overexposure to either can lead to skin cancer. In addition to causing skin cancer, here’s what each of these rays does:
UVA rays (or aging rays) can prematurely age your skin, causing wrinkles and age spots, and can pass through window glass.
UVB rays (or burning rays) are the primary cause of sunburn and are blocked by window glass.
There is no safe way to tan. Every time you tan, you damage your skin. As this damage builds, you speed up the aging of your skin and increase your risk for all types of skin cancer.