Check Yourself

Skincare at its foundation is about the health of your skin. While we may do our best to treat it ourselves by trying new products and routines, its best to have it looked over by a professional regularly. Dr. McGuiness of McGuiness Dermatology  gave the Fitish team a skin check and some sage advice.

"I look for anything that doesn't look like what's on the rest of your body," McGuiness said, "anything misshapen, raised or darker in color."
It's a good idea to check yourself every day, even having a friend or partner check our backside for anything off-kilter.

"Most hairstylists check their clients' scalps for anything, I've had patients come in saying their hairstylists told them they should get a mole checked out by a doctor."

Of course, the best way to try to avoid spots is by protecting yourself and your skin. Dr. McGuiness recommends, at minimum, using a sunscreen (minimum 30 SPF with protection from UVA, UVB, titanium and zinc. You can step it up a notch by using driving gloves and sleeves, especially between the hours of 6:30-9:30 pm in the summers where the sun is at its most damaging levels.

But of course, even with all of these precautions, you should get in to see your dermatologist at least once a year. On average, 1 out of 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70*. These screenings when regularly scheduled, allows for early detection and most skin cancers are highly treatable when detected early.

The Fitish team alone each had an important takeaway from our appointments, some even outside of sun damage. Your dermatologist is there to help you no matter the skin concern. Whether you have specific concerns or just want to be safe, make getting your annual skin check a priority.

*Stern, RS. Prevalence of a history of skin cancer in 2007: results of an incidence-based model. Arch Dermatol 2010; 146(3):279-282.