No tan is a healthy tan

June Casagrande

There’s no such thing as a healthy tan. That’s the message Dr. Nancy

Silverberg would most like to get across as the summer season begins

and Newport-Mesa residents start hitting the beach, riding the waves

or setting sail.

As skin cancer awareness month began Thursday, Silverberg, a

Newport Beach dermatologist and staff doctor at Hoag Hospital, is

trying to get the word out about how outdoor enthusiasts can reduce

their risk for this potentially deadly disease.

The cardinal rule, she said, is to protect your skin while you’re

in the sun.

“There’s no such thing as a healthy tan,” Silverberg said. “I see

all kinds of patients who take their health very seriously, who eat

right and exercise, but who still tan. When you do that, you’re

exposing yourself to a known carcinogen.”

Skin cancer is usually caused by exposure to the sun. It’s the

most common form of cancer and it’s drastically on the rise. More

than 1.2 million Americans this year will be diagnosed with skin

cancer.

Most cases are not life threatening. Only 4% of skin cancer cases

are of the deadly melanoma variety. Basal cell cancer accounts for

about 80% of cases and, though nonlethal, can be disfiguring.

Squamous cell cancers account for about 16% and can metastasize into

more dangerous forms.

Almost all skin cancers are treatable by surgery if caught in

time. Silverberg is among the dermatologists trained in Mohs surgery,

a procedure to remove basal cell and squamous cell cancers. The

procedure uses a microscope for precision removal of cancerous tissue

that leaves patients with less scarring or disfigurement than

less-advanced treatments.

But prevention is still the best medicine, Silverberg said. Cover

up with clothing and wear hats when going out in the sun. Always use

a powerful sunscreen, she said, and be aware of any changes to the

skin.

Examine moles careful: If a mole is asymmetrical, if its edges are

ragged or blurred, if it has more than one color or shade, or it is

bigger than a pencil eraser, it could be malignant.

“The single most important thing is protection from the sun,”

Silverberg said. “I don’t tell people they can’t do the things they

like to do, with the possible exception of sunbathing.

“A lot of my patients are boaters and golfers and tennis players,”

she said. “Those things are part of what makes life worth living. But

you can do them in a smart way.”