Going skin deep: Spotting skin disease early

Skin care is not a purely superficial matter, and seeing a dermatologist shouldn’t solely be for the purpose of indulging vanity. Many skin conditions can range from the mildly discomforting or embarrassing to the debilitating and painful, and seemingly minor or unusual blemishes may in turn be symptoms of severe, life threatening diseases.

Image Source: euchlora.com

Patients are recommended to have particularly suspicious or unusual blemishes or moles examined by dermatologists for further analysis so that their nature can be fully understood. Though not all of these troubling features turn out to be the early stages of cancer, the only way of determining for sure is to have them examined by seasoned dermatologists like Dr. Dan Taheri. 

Image Source: dermcarecharlotte.com

Preludes to potentially dangerous conditions, often taking the form of unusual projections or growths, can sometimes be overlooked, jeopardizing the life of the person in the process. Signs of trouble include scaling, rough growths commonly known as actinic keratosis (which may turn out to be pre-cancer lesions) and unusual moles, which can develop into melanomas.

Image Source: parents.com

Moles are particularly tricky as while most are benign, their sudden appearances or a noticeable change in their structure, such as unusual growth, sensitivity, and bleeding, could be signs that it needs medical attention.

Keeping a watchful eye on seemingly superficial skin symptoms that could point to skin disease is a vital part of caring for skin health. Early detection can keep latent skin diseases from getting ugly.  

Dr. Dan Taheri is a nationally recognized surgeon and dermatologist who heads LA Laser and Skin Care. For more on the importance of early detection of skin disease, visit this website.