Dermal Medical Skin Care
At OC Aesthetic Medical Group, Dr. Ken Williams treats patients of all ages from newborns to great grandparents and is skilled in general medical dermatology including rashes, acne and warts as well as office based-surgical dermatology for abnormal moles and skin cancers. All your favorite cosmetic procedures such as permanent hair reduction, collagen & Restylane®, BOTOX®, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, sclerotherapy and laser surgery are also available.
Our practice utilizes no physician extenders such as physicians's assistants or nurse practitioners in order to assure that every patient sees the physician every visit. OC Aesthetic Medical Group is one of the few primary care medical practices in the Orange County area which can make this claim. If you're tired of being "herded through" lightening-quick visits, you'll be very happy with the care you receive at OC Aesthetic Medical Group.
OC Aesthetic Medical Group specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the skin, hair, and nails. We help you maintain your skin in the best possible condition, paying attention to both health and appearance concerns.
The skin is the largest organ of the body, protecting int
ernal organs from external pressures. Skin also plays a major role in your appearance. Taking care of your skin helps you to feel and look your best. If you have a skin condition then OC Aesthetics offers a full range of general and surgical dermatologic services. Some of the more common conditions include:
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Acne
- Full Skin Cancer Screening & Surgery
- Botox & Restylane
- Nail Problems
- Eczema
- Acne, Rosacea & Psoriasis Treatments
- Hair Loss
- Leg Veins / Sclerotherapy
- Microdermabrasion
- Glycolic & Beta Lift Peels
- Hyperpigmentation
- Skincare Products Available
Skin Cancer Facts
Symptoms of Cancers
Doctors warn patients to look out for changes in the appearance of moles, or new growths or sores which fail to heal. Skin cancers are not typically painful, although they can be scaly or itchy - so it is mistake to await pain before consulting a doctor.
Changes to look for in moles include a change in shape, or increase in size, perhaps with the border of the mole or sore being ragged or irregular. The coloring can vary, and doctors recommend that a growing mole which becomes larger than the flat end of a pencil should be viewed with concern. To find out if it is skin cancer, and, if so, what sort of skin cancer it is, a doctor will carry out a biopsy, removing all or part of the suspicious growth which is then analyzed. If melanoma is diagnosed, then further tests will be done to see if the cancer has spread beyond the skin to other parts of the body. This may involve taking x-rays and scans to look at the liver, brain and lungs.
Skin cancers are the most common type of cancer in caucasian populations but they can occur in all ethnithicities Any change in the skin texture, changing mole, or any new skin changes needs to be evaluated by a physician to determine if a biopsy is necessary.
Skin cancers arise from three different types of cells in the skin. These cells are basal cells, squamous cells, and melanocytes. In the diagram you are able to see the anatomical relationships of these different types of cells.
Most cancers are easy to treat and pose only a small threat to life. Basal Cell Carcinomas typically do not metastasize and are easy to treat when diagnosed early. Squamous Cell Carcinomas are more serious and have the capacity to metastasize . Cancer of the Melanocytes called melanoma, is by far the more serious and difficult to treat unless detected early.
Basal Cell Skin Cancer
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer worldwide. Basal cell skin cancer begins in the lowest layer of the epidermis, called the basal cell layer. According to the American Cancer Society, 3 out of 4 skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas. This type of cancer begins on areas of the skin that has had high UV exposure, such as the head, neck and back of the hands. Basal cell carcinoma grows slowly, and it is unusual for a basal cell cancer to spread to distant parts of the body. But if it is not treated, it can grow into nearby areas and invade the bone or other tissues beneath the skin. After treatment, basal cell carcinoma can come back (recur) in the same place on the skin. People who have had one basal cell cancer will often develop a new skin cancer within 5 years. Basal cell cancer does not usually travel in the bloodstream. It infiltrates the area destroying the surrounding tissue.
Squamous Cell Skin Cancer
Squamous cell skin cancer is the second most common skin cancer, with basal cell skin cancer being the number one skin cancer. Squamous cell skin cancer begins in the upper part of the epidermis and accounts for about 20% of all skin cancers. Similar to basal cell skin cancer, squamous cell skin cancer starts on areas of the skin that have had high UV exposure. Squamous cell skin cancer is a tumor that arises in the outer layer of the skin, and usually appears on places of the body such as the face, ear, neck, lips, and backs of the hands.
Squamous cell skin cancers are more likely to invade tissues beneath the skin, and somewhat more likely to spread to lymph nodes or distant parts of the body than are basal cell skin cancers. According to the AAD, more than 250,000 squamous cell skin cancers are diagnosed every year in the United States. If treated in a timely manner, it is uncommon for squamous cell carcinoma to spread to other areas of the body.
Melanoma
The principal cause of skin cancer is almost universally accepted by medical experts to be over-exposure to sunlight, especially when it results in sunburn and blistering.
Malignant melanoma is the most virulent of all skin cancers and develops on the skin of 32,000 Americans annually. And every year an estimated 6,800 Americans will die from melanoma. Melanoma, like its less aggressive cousins, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, is almost always curable in its early stages.
Melanoma may suddenly appear without warning but it may also begin in or near a mole or other dark spot in the skin.
Other warning signs include: changes in the surface of a mole, scaliness, oozing, bleeding or the appearance of a bump or nodule, spread of pigment from the border into surrounding skin, and change in sensation including itchiness, tenderness, or pain.
The "ABCD's" for early detection of melanoma:
A: Asymmetry: The shape of one half does not match the other.
B: Border: The edges are uneven, ragged, or notched.
C: Color: Different shades of brown, black, tan, blue or red
D: Diameter: Any change in size. (Normal moles are usually less than 6 mm - the size of a pencil eraser.)
Pictures of Benign Moles and Melanoma
Protect yourself from the sun
According to the American Cancer Society, cancer is the leading killer of Americans under the age of 85. Skin cancer is the most common in the U.S. and is also the most preventable. When used consistently, sun-protective practices can prevent skin cancer. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays appears to be the most important environmental factor involved in the development of skin cancer. The number of cases has risen dramatically, especially in the last few decades because of increased outdoor leisure time. Although both tanning and burning can increase a person’s risk of skin cancer, most Americans do not consistently protect themselves from UV rays.
Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma. You can have fun in the sun and decrease your risk of skin cancer. The American dermatology Association recommends to Be Sun Smart:
- Generously apply a water-resistant sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 that provides broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays to all exposed skin. Re-apply every two hours, even on cloudy days, and after swimming or sweating. Look for the AAD SEAL OF RECOGNITIONTM on products that meet these criteria.
- Wear protective clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, pants, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, where possible.
- Seek shade when appropriate, remembering that the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. If your shadow is shorter than you are, seek shade.
- Protect children from sun exposure by playing in the shade, using protective clothing and applying sunscreen.
- Use extra caution near water, snow and sand as they reflect the damaging rays of the sun, which can increase your chance of sunburn.
- Get vitamin D safely through a healthy diet that may include vitamin supplements. Don't seek the sun.
- Avoid tanning beds. Ultraviolet light from the sun and tanning beds can cause skin cancer and wrinkling. If you want to look like you've been in the sun, consider using a sunless self-tanning product, but continue to use sunscreen with it.
- Check your birthday suit on your birthday. If you notice anything changing, growing or bleeding on your skin, see a dermatologist. Skin cancer is very treatable when caught early.
Treatments
There are wide variety of treatments used to tackle skin cancer, depending on the type, and how far if at all it has spread, or is likely to.
A common operation simply excises the affected area under local anesthetic.
Another method used on smaller cancers is cryosurgery, in which liquid nitrogen is applied to the tumor to freeze it and kill the cells, which simply shrivel and drop off once warmed up.
Heat from a laser is sometimes used to burn away the tumor. Precisely targeted radiotherapy is occasionally pointed at the cancer, as is chemotherapy in the form of a cream.
Some cases of basal cell carcinoma may be suitable for "photodynamic therapy" - which uses a cream to sensitize the tumor. - then exposes it to high intensities of light to destroy it.
In the case of melanoma, if there is a suspicion that the cancer may have spread beyond the skin layer, chemotherapy or biological treatment such as interferon may be given to attempt to eradicate skin cancer cells in other parts of the body.
Causes of Skin Cancer
Although scientists have found that some people may be more vulnerable to skin cancers, the main cause of skin cancer is over-exposure to strong sunlight, and those with lighter skin are far more vulnerable.
It is thought the UV radiation in sunlight causes subtle cell damage which can lead to cancerous changes. Rates of skin cancer of all sorts are extremely low among dark-skinned people. Men are more likely to develop cancers on their neck, shoulders and back, whereas in women the cancer is more likely to appear on the legs and arms.
It's important to know what are your risk factors. for example if you come from a family with a history of skin cancer, you need to be more careful.
If someone has a large number of moles, then they are more likely to develop skin cancer.
Doctors warn people not to spend too long in the sun, and to cover up wherever possible.
Use of suntan lotion has not yet been proven to protect the skin against melanoma.
