Should I Get This Checked?

There's a lot of information out there about the abcde's of spotting melanoma, and that's a good thing. (If you missed it, there's a good infographic here.) But what about the other forms of skin cancer? Let's end the month with some warning signs of other forms of skin cancer that we don't hear about so often. I was originally going to include some images below, but since these growths present differently in different people and vary quite a bit, I thought it best to stick with descriptions. You can find a large gallery of images from the American Cancer Society here.

Basal Cell Carcinoma - the most common form of skin cancer that develops in the deeper layer of the epidermis

May appear as:

• a persistent, non-healing sore
• a reddish patch that may itch or be tender
• a shiny or pearly bump
• an elevated or rolled border
• a scar-like area with a white or waxy appearance

Squamous Cell Carcinoma - the second most common form of skin cancer that develops in the outer layers of the epidermis

May appear as:

• a rough, crusty patch with an irregular border
• a circular lesion with a depression in the center
• can bleed if scratched or bumped
• wound-like, or wart-like

Actinic Keratosis - not skin cancer, but since they are potentially cancerous down the road, they're often removed

May appear as:

• red or brown in color
• thick scaly lesions
• common on the face, ears, and the backs of hands

So, if you notice something, what should you do?

Bottom line - if it's new, changing, crusting, bleeding or drawing your attention in any way, have it checked out by a dermatologist. 

While these types of skin cancer rarely metastasize, removal is more invasive and can be disfiguring if not caught early.

Sources: www.skincancer.org, www.aad.org

photo credit: I Spy (license)

The 4 Mistakes You're Still Making With Sunscreen

It's a good month for a re-cap! I'm sure I have mentioned all of these things at one point or another through this blog, or in my treatment room, but I still hear these myths and mistakes from my clients when discussing sunscreen.

1) You think it's sunblock.

I wrote a post about this last year. There is no such thing as sunblock. No sunscreen will block out 100% of UV rays. Protective clothing, a hat, and seeking shade during peak hours (generally 10-2pm) are all components of safe sunning. Because the active ingredients in sunscreen degrade with exposure to UV, it is important to reapply every 2 hours, or after swimming to ensure you stay protected.

2) You're not wearing sunscreen when it's cloudy, or you're not planning to be outside.

Think you can skip the sunscreen on cloudy days? Think again. While cloud cover can block some of the UVB rays, UVA passes through clouds and glass. These rays penetrate deep and do the damage we often refer to as "photo-aging". You can find a post I did on UVA and UVB here. Think of applying your sunscreen like brushing your teeth. Every day. Rain or shine.

3) You're not wearing enough.

Are you dabbing it on? A sufficient amount is needed to get the adequate protection. Here's the rule:

Apply a line of sunscreen down the first two fingers of your hand, that's enough for your face and neck (reference the handy photo). For the body, it's approximately two tablespoons. Any less than that and you're not receiving the coverage listed on the label.

4) You think "it's in my makeup, so I'm covered".

When I ask clients if they are wearing sunscreen daily very often I hear "Oh, it's in my makeup." This is an extension of not wearing enough. I've yet to see a client that applies as much makeup shown in the picture above, and certainly not all over the neck. This goes for powders too. The FDA is currently reviewing whether powders can even claim an SPF, due to the fact that there is no established quantity of powder needed to achieve the protection. Now don't get me wrong, I love the fact that companies are incorporating sunscreen into these products, but it should be supplemental protection and not your only coverage.

So are guilty of any of the above? Good news, if you are, they are all quick fixes. Broad spectrum coverage, with a feel you love, every single day. Questions? As always, email or message me!

Skin Cancer And Melanoma Awareness Month

It's May! Time for some sun-care posts! First off, www.skincancer.org is loaded with great info so I wanted to share one of their infographics. I know sometimes go into the minutiae so let's keep this simple. Here are the top 3 takeaways:

1. Don't burn your skin.
2. Don't burn your skin.
3. DON'T BURN YOUR SKIN.
   
   See? It's simple. Wear sunscreen. :)
   You can print or share it here

Oncology Esthetics Training Update

Photo credit: Kaboompics

I'm back from a 3-day oncology esthetics training and certification program!  I've been getting a lot of questions from clients about what exactly this means, so I thought I'd do a quick post to let you know what I was up to!

What is oncology esthetics?
Oncology esthetics refers to a specialized branch of skin care for treating clients who are undergoing, or who have undergone treatment for cancer.

What was I learning?
A lot! We covered the basics of cancer itself, the lymphatic system, forms of treatment, and a range of possible side effects. We learned specific intake procedures to provide safe and effective treatments, learning contraindications, and knowing when (and where) a treatment might not be best. Like my approach to the customized facial, every client, and their treatment will be unique. We also learned integrative therapies and tools to help calm, hydrate and soothe the skin.

What's next?
I will be taking my exam in the next week, and I'll have the materials and some additional products I need over the next few weeks. I predict you'll see an addition to my services page by mid-April. I also plan to implement donating complimentary services as a part of my annual giving program, so stay tuned for that!

As I mentioned when I posted about this on Facebook and Twitter, this was an amazing experience both educationally and emotionally. Becky Kuehn, our instructor from Oncology Spa Solutions, and her teaching assistant Debbi Fink both brought a depth of knowledge, patience, and humor to the training. And finally, hello to the special group of women I spent the 3 days with - Irene, Amy, Nancy, Pearl, Olga and last but not least the 2 Lindas! :) What a great group!!

As always, please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions for me!
jill@jjodar.com

Winter Tips For Your Skin (Goodbye Dry!)

Photo Credit: https://www.viktorhanacek.com/

Winter has definitely fulfilled expectations this year. I'm getting a lot of complaints about skin dryness, flakiness, and tightness. Central heat, low humidity, chafing wind, not to mention air travel will wreak havoc on the skin's barrier. Your stratum corneum (the outermost layer of your skin) is approximately the width of a human hair. It's not hard to believe it has its work cut out in keeping the good stuff in and the bad stuff out.

But don't worry, help is here. Protect, revive, and repair that vital skin barrier (year-round!) with the tips below:

Cleansing

• Properly cleansing your skin is vital, but can become challenging for barrier-damaged skin that might need a bit more nourishment. I recommend changing up your cleansing routine to an oil, milk, or lotion, especially if you're currently using a cleansing mousse or foaming wash. Personally, I love using a cleansing oil for my pm cleanse in the winter. And yes, even oily skins can use a non-clogging cleansing oil, and it's great for makeup removal too.

Antioxidants

• Free-radicals are responsible for damaging the lipids in our skin's barrier that protect, and lock in moisture. You constantly hear about the latest and greatest antioxidant, but the truth is, different antioxidants protect against different things, so your best bet is a topical cocktail of multiple antioxidants, as opposed to just one. I'm a huge fan of vitamin C, but it doesn't protect against Lipid Peroxide, which damages the barrier lipids. I combine my vitamin C serum, with an antioxidant complex (18 total!) in the morning to cover all the bases and provide complete protection. This is also my go-to before any air-travel to prevent barrier damage and dryness that occurs due to the ozone in plane cabins.

Moisturizing

•  We all know we need to moisturize and hydrate our skin, but looking for barrier-repair ingredients is key. There are many great choices including shea butter, soy phospholipids, ceramides, and tocopheryl linoleate. Including soothing agents like sea whip is also advised, as inflammation leads to all sorts of problems, including poor barrier function. 
• Certain emulsifiers, when used in too high a percentage in a formula can actually emulsify the skin's lipids, which will later be rinsed away, resulting in that dry, tight feeling. So you might be applying moisturizer, but it is liquifying the lipids in your natural barrier, leaving you feeling tight and dry, so you apply again.... a vicious cycle. If you think this might be happening to you, have your skin therapist check your current product (or send the ingredient label to me). :)

Exfoliate Gently

• We're learning the lesson that aggressive treatments, in general, can often do more harm than good in the long term. While exfoliating surface cells can indeed stimulate the skin to repair itself and produce those vital lipids, it's important not to go overboard. A barrier-damaged skin should steer clear of physical abrasive exfoliants that can irritate and create micro-tears on the surface. Instead, try using a gentle resurfacer, with glycolic or lactic acid, get the renewal process going, and stimulate that barrier repair you need.

 For Hands

• The hands can be tricky as they take all of the exposure, and are also subject to frequent washing, drying soaps, and cleansers. (This is especially true during cold and flu season.) I speak from experience on this one. On a normal workday, I wash my hands well over 25 times! Apply hand cream after every washing and before bed. I use a hand cream specially formulated to soothe and repair, with ingredients like ceramides and dimethicone that can actually help the skin retain moisture over time. Great for cuticles too.

For The Body

• Be sure to use body lotion right out of the shower to seal in moisture. Take it easy on the hot showers and long soaks! (We're still in a drought here in California, so we should all be moving with a quickness anyway). The same goes for hot tubs and saunas. Also, you might want to check that you're not using a body wash with SLS or SLAS, which can be irritating to the skin. I wrote a post about these ingredients here. Lastly, please stop using soap. It doesn't rinse cleanly. Due to its alkalinity, it can actually leave a film on the skin that impedes the penetration of other products.