Thousand Oaks Skin Cancer Center Recommends Screenings

THOUSAND OAKS, CA, October 23, 2010 (Press-News.org) Those who spent a lot of time outdoors this summer may be worrying about the health of their skin, according to the Thousand Oaks skin cancer specialists at The Center for Dermatology Care (www.dermatology-center.com). The providers at the practice understand the concern and offer a range of skin cancer screenings and treatment. With the number of people diagnosed with skin cancer increasing, the practice focuses on not just treating patients but also educating them on safe sun practices and self-evaluation.

"Every year at this time, we see an increase in patients scheduling consultations for skin cancer screenings," says Dr. Andrew J. Kaufman, Medical Director of The Center for Dermatology Care. "People who've been out in the sun without wearing a hat or putting on sunscreen are most worried that their sun exposure puts them at higher risk for developing skin cancer."

Skin cancer is the most common of all cancers according to the American Cancer Society. Particularly for those who are constantly exposed to the sun, the skin cancer risk may increase if precautionary measures are not taken. A skin cancer screening is a way for dermatologists to determine if a patient has skin cancer often before they have any symptoms, detecting cancerous or precancerous cells at an early stage.

"Skin cancer screenings are an effective way for us to detect abnormalities early on," explains Dr. Kaufman. "Screenings are a precautionary step so that carcinoma, sarcoma and melanoma can be detected early and treated successfully."

For patients who have been diagnosed with skin cancer, Thousand Oaks Mohs surgeon Dr. Kaufman often performs Mohs surgery, a specialized technique for skin cancer removal in which the surgeon removes layers of skin and analyzes each layer under a microscope to check for cancerous cells. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, and is particularly successful in removing locally recurrent skin cancers.

"Mohs surgery is an effective treatment because the technique requires the least amount of healthy tissue to be removed, while still successfully eliminating cancerous cells," says Dr. Kaufman. "The Mohs surgery technique allows me to remove areas of the tumor that are not visible to the naked eye, and that may not be fully treated using other methods. I hope that through effective treatment and education about skin cancer prevention, we can play a part in reducing the rate of skin cancer."

The Center for Dermatology Care (www.dermatology-center.com) in Thousand Oaks, California is comprised of a team of physicians who specialize in cosmetic dermatology as well as skin cancer treatment. As leaders in research, the physicians have access to state-of-the-art medicine. They aim to treat their patients and educate them, becoming an additional resource for critical information about skin health. The Medical Director of The Center for Dermatology Care, Dr. Andrew Kaufman specializes in Mohs surgery, a special technique used to remove skin cancer.