Season Greetings from Associates in Dermatology
December 15, 2023
Dr. Michael Steppie and the entire team at Associates in Dermatology want to wish you Happy Holidays and a healthy New Year. This is a joyous time and the time for you to indulge yourself in things that make your feel happy and stress free. So, let us know how we can help.
With seventeen locations serving our Central Florida communities, there is nothing more rewarding to our staff than visibly seeing a patient’s skin condition improve. Whether it requires a clinical treatment or professional cosmetic attention, we hope all your wishes come true.
Even though everyone’s calendar is a little tight during the Holidays, it is a great time to schedule your skin cancer screening exam for the New Year. Making an appointment now helps ensure your skin remains healthy, and if anything appears abnormal, an early diagnosis can be crucial for optimal treatment.
Since some forms of skin cancer can advance rapidly, you should have a screening at least once a year. In addition, anytime you see a questionable bump, lesion, or mole that concerns you, always have it checked by a dermatologist as soon as possible. Skin cancer can hide in your scalp, ears, bottom of the feet and other areas that often go unnoticed.
Protecting Skin from the Florida Sun
As you might remember, we spent a lot of time during the summer months advising our Central Florida communities about the dangers of unprotected prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. Whether you live here or are just visiting, it is important to apply a SPF-rated sunblock any time you are going outside. A recent article in Harvard Health also recommends that you don’t depend solely on using sunscreens but add UV-protective clothing and sunglasses
“There is a reason we are called the Sunshine State,” says Dr. Michael Steppie, President of Orlando’s Associates in Dermatology and Mohs cancer surgeon. “The sun is a powerful source of ultraviolet radiation and overexposure is a major cause of damaging sunburns. Even brief outdoor activities without proper application of sun protection can accumulate enough damage to result in skin cancer, premature aging, dark spots, or wrinkles.”
UV rays are a leading preventable risk factor for skin cancer. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each year more new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the U.S. than new cases of breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer combined. Sunshine is a form of ionizing radiation, which means it has enough energy to damage DNA in skin cells. In turn, this genetic alteration can lead to cancerous lesions, growths, or moles.
Dr. Michael Steppie Cited as Skin Cancer Foundation Spokesperson
During the summer, Dr. Michael Steppie was interviewed, as the spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation, for an article published by Toti Media in the Times of the Islands. The article addresses how to protect yourself from the Florida sun by using sunscreen the right way. Not only are there hundreds of sunscreen products, but some provide a higher sun protection factor and any sunscreen should be properly applied and reapplied as needed. If not, sensitive skin can quickly be damaged by UV rays.
Limiting the amount of time that you spend in the sun is the best way to protect exposed skin from damaging radiation but that’s not always possible. By adopting a proactive approach to skin care, you can help keep the entire family safe whenever they go outdoors. Fact is, if you are going to be outside, you should apply a broad spectrum sunscreen even on cloudy days. The shade from an overcast day is misleading, as around 90% of UV rays penetrate clouds and can reach your skin.
In addition to his many roles as a dermatologist and Mohs cancer surgeon, Dr. Michael Steppie created his own line of skincare products including SteppieMD ETHEREAL BEAUTY advanced mineral sunscreens. Just as Orlando skin cancer patients have trusted his expertise for decades, you can trust his advanced mineral sunblock products to keep skin protected by providing a shear, residue-free finish for powerful protection for all skin types, including those with sensitive skin.
Sun Safety During the Winter Holidays
Although UV radiation in Central Florida is higher during the summer months, it is still present every day of the year. So whenever you are going to be outdoors during the Winter Holidays, don’t forget to use good sun protection. Over your lifetime, the total amount of exposure to harmful UV radiation from the sun and tanning beds adds up and can lead to early aging, precancers, and three primary skin cancers: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
If you’re a snow enthusiast, it’s extremely important to cover up and protect your skin. The fluffy stuff you use to traverse the mountain can reflect up to 80 percent of the UV rays from the sun. This provides a double-shot of harmful radiation penetrating your skin from multiple angles, further increasing your risk of premature aging and skin cancer. Although a mountain top is closer to the sun, playing a round of golf at sea level still requires the same proactive sun-safe approach.
Good sun protection products (excluding sunscreens which are assigned an SPF factor) will have a UPF rating that indicates how much UVA and UVB radiation the fabric allows to reach your skin. This includes fabrics for clothing, hats, awnings, umbrellas, sun-protective eyewear and window film for glass panes. Wear a wide-brimmed hat with a minimum 3-inch brim around the circumference to help protect skin on your face, neck and ears.
To schedule your skin check for the New Year, call 800-827-7546 or use this website’s convenient Contact Us form to schedule your next appointment online at one of our seventeen dermatology offices in Orlando, Altamonte Springs, Apopka, Celebration, Clermont, Davenport, Dr. Philips, Hunter's Creek, Kissimmee, Lake Wales, Mount Dora, Ocoee, Poinciana, Sanford, or St. Cloud.
