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We know the sun feels good when you’re out hanging 10, but all that UV exposure adds up. A new Surfline story, featuring our very own, and super rad, dermatologist-slash-surfer Dr. Chris Carlin in San Clemente, paints a grim picture:

According to a 2015 study, surfers are three times more likely than the general population to get melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer. That’s daunting news if you love nothing more than riding barrels, but never fear. You can take steps to protect your skin while you’re out on the waves. See what Dr. Carlin recommends below:

+ Reapply sunscreen: It might be hard to remember when you are out on the water, but you should reapply sunscreen every two hours for consistent sun protection. Dr. Carlin recommends using a sunscreen stick, a format that typically adheres well to wet skin.

+ Use a broad spectrum formula: Only broad-spectrum sunscreens ward off both UVA and UVB rays, defending your skin against sunburn and long-term damage. Dr. Carlin suggests that surfers use an SPF 50 formula.

+ Join the dawn patrol: The sun is harshest midday, when it is straight overhead. Surf in the early morning or late afternoon to spare your skin–and ride better waves. 

+ Research your surf destinations: Some popular surf spots, like Australia, offer little atmospheric protection from the sun. Read up on your surf spot before heading out so you can prepare.

For more of Dr. Carlin’s skin-saving wisdom, read the full story on Surfline. As always, if you have any questions about preventing skin cancer while surfing (or doing anything else outdoors), just make an appointment and we will talk you through it. Surf’s Up 🤙

Yours in good health, 

Your Dermatology team

Even if your golf game is strong, your skin health might be hitting every bunker. That’s because golf courses are open spaces, often without much shade cover, and that means a lot of direct sunlight. Courses with water features are even riskier for both your golf game and your skin health. The water features can act like a mirror, reflecting the sun’s rays back at you and intensifying your exposure. In the short term, those sun rays can cause a nasty sunburn, and in the long term, they can cause wrinkles and even skin cancer. So, how can you keep your skin from turning red when you’re on the greens? We rounded up a few tips to help you firm your grip (get it?) on sun safety.

🏌️‍♂️ Seek out shade: If you’re choosing between a golf course with lots of mature, shade-giving trees and one without any, let your skin health be the deciding factor and go for the shadier course. If you can tee off in a shady area or a sunny one, then choose the former. Who knows—maybe swinging the club from a different position will be just what you need to get a hole in one!

🏌️‍♂️ Cover up: The more you can cover your body with tightly woven clothes, the less harmful UV light will reach your skin. If you really want to improve your sun-safety score, find some athletic clothing with a UPF rating. (UPF is just like SPF, but for clothing.) The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a rating of 30 or above. 

🏌️‍♂️ Wear a hat and sunglasses: These easy-to-find accessories help to block the harmful UV rays that hit your eyes and face.

🏌️‍♂️ Golf during off-peak hours: Instead of getting in the golf cart when the sun is high, go during the early morning or at dusk. Your risk of sunburn is lower when the sun is lower. As a bonus, it may be cheaper to play in the morning or twilight!

🏌️‍♂️ Pile on sunscreen: We hope you’re wearing sunscreen every day because it’s the easiest and simplest way to lower your cancer risk. When you’re on the golf course, opt for a waterproof formula that will withstand your sweat. This way, sunscreen won’t go in your eyes while the ball is going in the 18th hole.

If you’re headed to the greens this summer, we hope you top your all-time high score and top your skin with sunscreen. For any questions you may have about skin health or sun safety, just make an appointment and we’ll share our insight. Good luck out there!

Yours in good health,

Your West Dermatology Team

It’s time to dig out your swimsuit and shelve your sweaters: Summer is official here! We hope you have all sorts of fun plans for the season, like visiting the beach, strolling through a state fair, or taking a hike in nature. We have just one piece of advice: Make sure that you’re taking care of your skin as you enjoy the summer sun. Below are a few everyday tips for lowering your risk of sunburn and skin cancer.

👒 Wear a hat: A hat with a brim will keep sunlight from hitting your face directly, helping you to avoid UV damage. The wider the brim, the better!

👕 Cover up when you can: If you can comfortably wear long sleeves or long pants, the fabric will help to keep your skin from burning in the sun.

☂️ Pack a parasol: When you’re walking through an area without much shade cover, bring your own shade! If you want to be extra careful, choose a parasol with a UPF value. UPF stands for Ultraviolet Protection Factor—like SPF, but for fabric. Parasols (and clothes) with a UPF value are proven to screen out harmful UV rays. 

👧 Slather on sunscreen: Sometimes, you can’t avoid the sun hitting your skin. You might not always want to avoid it! Just cover any exposed skin in sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. If you need to stock up, you’re in luck: We’re selling some of our favorite, dermatologist-recommended sunscreen brands at 20% off.

However you choose to protect your skin, we hope it helps you enjoy the season. If you have any concerns, or if you want a personalized plan for your skin health, just make an appointment with us. Happy summer!

Yours in good health,

Your West Dermatology Team

First things first: there are two types of sunburns, both caused by UV Rays, and the deeper the burn, the more severe the damage.

First-degree burns: reddens the skin and feels painful, but only affects the outer layer of skin.

Second-degree burns: turn bright red and produce blisters, causing harm to the nerves and the deeper layer of skin.

✔️For people between the ages of 15 and 20: 1-4 sunburns increase Melanoma risk by about 60%

✔️ 5+ sunburns increase melanoma risk by 80%

To schedule a skin check, click HERE

If you’ve ever had a sunburn, you know they’re sensitive and painful—unfortunately, that’s not the worst of it. Sunburns are a sign of skin damage, and over time, they increase your odds of skin cancer. For Skin Cancer Awareness Month, we’re helping you recognize the types of sunburns, understand the risks, and stop them before they start.

Types of sunburns:

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70 and is the MOST COMMON cancer in the United States. Research even suggests that regular sunscreen can in fact reduce melanoma risk.

Avoiding a sunburn is EASY AS wearing protective clothingand slathering on sunscreen.(Don’t forget, our favorite sunscreen brands are 20% off this month!)If you’re concerned about your sun sensitivity or you have any questionsabout skin damage, just make an appointment.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and we have a favorite way to honor the occasion…GETTING SKIN CHECKS!

As a company, we’ve encouraged every single one of our doctors and staff to get their skin checked, and now we’re asking you to take the same painless step to protect your skin.

DID YOU KNOW? A 15-minute skin check could save your life. Early detection leads to prevention.

Lower your risk and wear sunscreen every day. We’re offering our recommended brands at 20% OFF!

Getting a skin spot checked is easy and painless, but some patients have to endure a little discomfort if their spot looks suspicious. That’s because, to check for skin cancer, our dermatologists have typically had to cut away a small skin sample, which makes some patients anxious. Thanks to a new technology, all that’s changing. We’re proud to use the new Pigmented Lesion Assay (PLA) test, which takes just minutes and doesn’t require any cutting of the skin.

The test takes skin cell samples with four adhesive patches, each one roughly the size of a quarter, which then go to a lab. The PLA rules out melanoma with 99% accuracy, and better yet, makes a lot of formerly routine surgeries unnecessary.

Best of all, it could lead to improved long-terms outcomes for melanoma sufferers. Using the PLA means that dermatologists can direct more time and resources toward patients with malignant growths, and the PLA removes a psychological barrier to getting tested in the first place. Early-stage melanoma is far more treatable than late-stage, so the decision to get tested early could save a life.

“The DermTech Adhesive Skin technology really has been a game-changer in my clinical dermatology practice,” says Dr. Stacey Tompkins in our La Jolla office. “I now can offer my patients the latest, cutting-edge tests to help determine if a mole is at risk for being or turning into a malignant melanoma. With four simple tape applications to the mole, the DermTech assay can tell us if a pigmented lesion is at low, moderate or high risk for being malignant by looking at certain high risk genetic markers. There is no cutting of the skin involved. This is such a tremendous boon for patients, as we can now assess a pigmented growth without having to cut the patient to obtain tissue. Many of my patients have been biopsied traditionally so many times, they are thrilled now to have this option.”

With the PLA, getting precise, cell-level data is as easy as a DNA ancestry kit, but in our case, we’re getting information to protect patients’ lives.

Dr. Brook Brouha recently had a young female patient with a mildly suspicious lesion on the back of her neck. “Given the age of the patient I’m not sure I would have done an invasive biopsy on this lesion. Since I have the non-invasive PLA test in my office, I chose to do that first. The test came back highly suggestive of Melanoma… Having the PLA gave me an additional option to obtain objective information to guide my clinical treatment decision!”

If you think you might be a candidate for the test, or if you have a child or needle-phobic person in the family, just make an appointment with one of our board-certified dermatologists. We’ll get you answers as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Your skin probably doesn’t look the same as it did 15 years ago. (If it does, please share your secrets!) Both your DNA and external factors, like UV exposure, diet, exercise and your favorite sleeping position, determine how you age. As the years pass, the skin tends to get looser, dryer, and less even-looking for everyone.

 

Now for the good news—you can keep up a youthful look with smart daily choices and non-invasive procedures. Keep scrolling to read about some of the most common signs of aging and how you can turn them around.

Sun Exposure: ☀️

THE CAUSE: Daily sun exposure

THE RESULT: UV rays break down collagen and elastin, which form the flexible tissue under the skin’s surface. When that connective tissue breaks down, the skin gets weaker and less elastic, and that’s a recipe for sagging and wrinkles. Making matters worse, UV rays also damage skin at a DNA level which can leave dark spots and cause the development of skin cancer.

THE FIX:  Sunscreen with an SPF of 30+ limits your UV exposure and prevents sun damage before it starts. We sell dermatologist-recommended brands in all our offices! If you’re already seeing sun damage, chemical peels  or a variety of lasers including IPL photofacials can help reverse it with minimal downtime.

Facial Expressions: 😑

THE CAUSE: Repetitive facial expressions and your chosen sleeping position

THE RESULT: As the skin ages, it naturally grows less flexible. When it folds or creases—maybe because you’re smiling, frowning, or resting against a pillow—it eventually stops snapping back as easily. Over time, those folds and creases become permanent.

THE FIX: Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, or the new Jeuveau relaxes facial muscles, keeping them from bunching skin together and creating creases. That relaxed appearance smooths existing wrinkles and helps prevent new ones from forming.

Loss of Collagen: 🌊

THE CAUSE:  Natural loss of collagen and hyaluronic acid

THE RESULT:  When your skin ages, it holds less of these substances, resulting in a drier texture and a thinned out look.

THE FIX: Dermal fillers like Restylane or Juvederm family or Belotero can re-infuse the skin with hyaluronic acid, which leads to a firmer and smoother appearance.

Want to get closer to the fountain of youth? If you’re searching for the best anti-aging strategy for you, we’re here to help. Make an appointment and we’ll keep your skin looking its best for years to come. 

The West Dermatology Team