May is skin cancer awareness month, so it’s a great time to increase your focus on sun protection. Sunscreens should be an integral part of your skin care regimen throughout the year, and particularly so at the beginning of summer. Indeed, sun protection is essential for both cancer prevention and healthy-looking skin.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer with over 2 million Americans diagnosed with this disease – 90% of skin cancers are associated with UV radiation from the sun. Melanoma, which is the most deadly, has 120,000 new cases every year. The National Cancer institute recommends screening often and visiting your doctor anytime there is anything abnormal on the skin.
We advise our patients to use sunscreen daily, cover up with hats and long sleeves when outside for long periods of time, stay in the shade and never use a tanning bed. Our patients may also benefit from a long-term skincare plan with our aesthetician in our New York City offices on the Upper East Side and Tribeca. Sun spots and wrinkles can be treated with lasers, peels and injectables – depending on your skin type and wishes, treatments vary and have different amounts of downtime.
Skin care regimens to maintain youth often include a combination of the following: retinol, hydroquinone, sunscreen, antioxidants and alpha hydroxyl acids – five potent skin cream ingredients with antiaging benefits. Younger looking skin is best achieved by combining skin rejuvenation with topical agents such as these with other plastic surgery treatments, such as Botox®, Juvederm® or fat injections which is often combined with liposuction for fat harvesting. These modalities have complementary actions and used in combination often result in skin that is glowing and youthful.
Dr. Olivia Hutchinson is a board certified plastic surgeon in NYC and NJ, and specializes in aesthetic plastic surgery, minimally invasive surgery and non-surgical treatments. We invite you to schedule an appointment with Dr. Hutchinson by contacting us or calling our office at 212 452 1400.
