November 20, 2021 Issue, Page 3 of 12

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November 20, 2021 3 News Miss Elk City contestants >= Ss Trinity Sargent Caitlynn Niestempski Kaysa Carpenter Hannah White Dailee Taylor Miss Queen of the West contestants Abigail Chitwood Alana Hughes Evelyn Smith Macy Eminger Madison Giovenco Paige Condon Tatum Shelton Taylor Bishop CHECK YOUR SKIN, SAVE YOUR LIFE 6 simple steps to perform a skin self-exam FAMILY FEATURES hile it might not be the first thing on your ABCDEs OF W to-do list, prioritizing regular skin checks could save your life. Though a trip to the gym wasn’t uncommon for MELANOMA John Ahern, the bruising he noticed after a particularly strenuous workout was unusual. Ahemn’s board-certified dermatologist, Lindsay S. Ackerman, MD, FAAD, Melanoma is the deadliest made a life-saving observation: the bruises indicated a form of skin cancer. How- . blood issue. After testing, severe . Ahern was diagnosed ever, when detected early, with a rare form ofleukemia. itis highly treatable. These National Healthy Skin Month in November offers warning signs can help you an important reminder to pay attention to the body's identify melanoma: largest organ, Ahern’s story is one of many examples = Asymmetry: One half that show how the skin is a window to overall health. ofthe spot is unlike the “While bruising can be common, when it appears other half. in unusual areas or in the absence oftrauma, it = Border: The spot has an can represent problems with other organ systems,” irregular, scalloped or Ackerman said, poorly defined border. Performing regular self-exams can familiarize people | = Color: The spot has with their skin and help identify areas of concern. For varying colors from one example, Yvonne Basil noticed changes to a mole on area to the next. her toe and quickly scheduled an appointment with her = Diameter: While board-certified dermatologist. After a same-day surgical melanomas are usu- biopsy, Basil’s dermatologist, Dr. Seemal R. Desai, ally greater than 6 mil- MD, FAAD, confirmed it was melanoma, the deadliest limeters, or about the form of skin cancer. Because of the early diagnosis and size ofa pencil eraser, treatment, doctors stopped the spread and Basil is now when diagnosed, they cancer-free. can be smaller. “While Yvonne’s melanoma was very serious, it = Evolving: The spot looks could have been much worse had she not found the different from the rest mole and quickly made an appointment with a board- ‘or changes in size, shape certified dermatologist,” Desai said. or color. Regularly checking your skin from head to toe can help catch skin cancer and other conditions early when they are most treatable. These simple steps rec- ommended by the experts at the American Academy of Dermatology to perform a skin exam could help you detect a condition early: = Examine your body in a full-length mirror = Look at your underarms, forearms and palms = Look at your legs and soles of your feet and between your toes Photos courtesy of Getty Images = Use a hand mirror to examine your neck and scalp se a hand mirror to check your back and buttocks Take note ofall the spots on your body, including moles, freckles and age spots People of all skin tones should perform skin self- ; 2 checks. When skin cancer develops in people of color, Did You Know? it is often diagnosed in its later stages, making it more Dermatologists are trained to diagnose, treat 4. difficult to treat. If you notice any new or suspicious and manage more than 3,000 conditions of spots on your skin, or any spots that are changing, the skin, hair and nails, . itching or bleeding, make an appointment with a board- certified dermatologist. To learn more, visit SpotSkinCancer.org. ke