Concierge Medicine: You Won’t Get Burned

An examination of skin for possible pre-cancerous or cancerous lesions is now a de rigueur component of yearly physical examinations and for good reason. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation…

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in over two million people are diagnosed annually.
• Each year there are more new cases of skin cancer than the combined incidence of cancers of the breast, prostate, lung and colon.
• One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in the course of a lifetime.

Screening the Sunscreens

Wondering if you’re using the right sunscreen? Recently the Environmental Working Group rated 292 brands and 1,700 products. The groups’ mission is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment.
Its conclusions during this last round of sunscreen evaluations:

a. Choose sunscreens with zinc and titanium for their considerable benefits.

b. Three out of five U. S. sunscreens wouldn’t be acceptable in Europe, which has more rigorous standards.

c. High SPF numbers encourage people to stay out longer without enough protection.

d. The FDA was to regulate sunscreens in 1978: We’re still waiting.

In the concierge medicine model of practice offered by SignatureMD, there’s plenty of time during unhurried appointments to survey every speck of a patient’s dermis. After all, that patient can’t see the middle of his or her back. It’s another gentle reminder that personalized medicine, with its focus on wellness and prevention, offers even greater opportunities to spot a small problem with a spot before it’s a big one.

Photo by Yuri Arcurs
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About SignatureMD

SignatureMD is one of the nation’s largest firms providing initial conversion and ongoing support services to concierge medicine physicians. SignatureMD currently partners with over 200 affiliated primary care physicians and specialists across 35 states, and its network is rapidly expanding.