MoleMate: Pre-Cancerous Conditions Seen Simply and Easily on Computer!
Source: Health Central
http://www.healthcentral.com/skin-cancer/c/1443/150410/keratosis
By: Eileen Bailey
Actinic Keratosis (AK), also called Solar Keratosis, is a pre-cancerous, pre-malignant rough spot on the skin. It is usually between 2 and 6 millimeters (somewhere between a pencil point and a pencil eraser) and is generally red, with a rough texture and a white or yellow scale on top. They may be painful when touched or when clothing rubs against them. They normally occur because of chronic over-exposure to the sun.
Actinic Keratosis is not cancer but can develop into squamous cell carcinoma if left untreated, although most do not become cancerous. However, it can take years before they turn into cancer. Treating these lesions early can help prevent them from turning into cancer later.
Who Is At Risk?
The Skin Cancer Foundation indicates that approximately 58 million Americans have Actinic Keratosis.
Those who are most at risk have:
1. Fair complexions
2. Blond or red hair
3. Blue, green or grey eyes
4. Had a kidney or other transplant
5. Have a comprised immune system
6. Had severe sunburns as children
7. Even those at high risk must spend a lot of time in the sun in order to develop Actinic Keratosis.
8. Men tend to develop Actinic Keratosis more often than women because they may spend more time outdoors in the sun and may not use sun screen as often as women do.
9. Those who live closer to the equator are more at risk for developing Actinic Keratoses than those who live further away from the equator.
Diagnosis of Acitinic Keratoses
Often, your medical provider can diagnosis Actinic Keratoses by looking at your skin, however, your doctor may request a biopsy to see if it is cancerous.
A new diagnostic device has become available to dermatologists, MD’s and skin care specialists, MoleMate.
MoleMate uses a patented device and technology that features a hand-held scanner designed for office use that utilizes light to view beneath suspicious moles or lesions in a pain free, non-invasive manner, creating images for physicians to evaluate all types of moles and lesions within seconds, providing images that can reveal if a mole is benign, or something more serious, often eliminating the need for skin biopsies, resulting in less pain, scarring, and expense.
Treatment
There are a number of topical creams and lotions that have been found to be effective in treating Actinic Keratoses. For those with many Actinic Keratoses, topical creams may be used in conjunction with other treatments. The most commonly used topical cream is 5-fluorouracil, which comes in both ointment and liquid and has been approved by the FDA for treatment of Actinic Keratoses. Other topical agents include imiquimod 5% cream and diclofenac.
Other types of treatments that may be used for Actinic Keratoses which have not improved with topical agents or if you have many lesions include:
1. Burning
2. Scraping the lesion away
3. Excision (cutting lesion out)
4. Cryosurgery
5. Chemical Peeling
6. Laser Surgery
7. Photodynamic Therapy
When treated early, treatment has been shown to be highly effective.
Prevention
1. As with all risks of skin cancer, the most effective way to prevent AK is to avoid over-exposure to the sun’s UV rays by:
2. Wearing protective clothing when out in the sun
3. Using sunscreens with a SPF rating of 15 or higher every day and reapplying when out in the sun for extended periods of time
4. Avoiding sun lamps and tanning beds
5. Avoiding being out in the sun midday when UV rays are the strongest
Because Actinic Keratoses can take years to develop, it is important to continue to stay protected when in the sun, to be vigilant about skin self-exam and to see your doctor if you notice any new skin lesions or discolorations.
About SIMSYS-MoleMate
The FDA approved SIMSYS-MoleMate Skin Imaging System, a non-invasive skin cancer screening procedure, is a significant advance in the early detection of potentially life threatening moles and lesions.
Physicians have found the SIMSYS-MoleMate Siascope hand-held device easy to learn and use, and that it rapidly provides accurate images of the pigment, blood, and collagen below the mole or lesion.
Now, for the first time, physicians can more accurately evaluate suspicious moles and lesions in a non-invasive, pain-free way. Experts also believe it may reduce the need for time consuming and expensive biopsies.
For more information about SIMSYS-MoleMate, contact:
MedX Health Corp.
(905) 670-4428
(888) 363-3112
info@medxhealth.com
www.simsys-molemate.com
