With temperatures set to soar into the high 40s, we asked a specialist dermatologist from CosmeSurge clinic in Dubai, Dr Hossein Yavari, for his safe-skin advice.
How many patients do you treat daily for sun-related skin problems?
At least five to 10 with skin lesions and moles related to sun exposure. They tend to be westerners between 25 and 60 years, and have lighter skin types, positive family histories of skin cancer or precancerous lesions.
What’s your advice to residents this summer?
People with any family history of skin cancer must conduct full-body mole-mapping every six months. Suspicious moles can be identified via a dermatoscope machine in just 15 to 30 minutes. For others, an annual check is enough. The second thing is sun protection, a minimum of SPF30 is essential. Sunscreen alone is not enough because we’re constantly exposed to harmful rays, in our cars, homes and offices, due to all the glass. When people are outside, I would urge them to wear protective clothing and broad-rim hats. That said, I’m not going to recommend sun exposure – especially between 10am to 4pm – to anyone, no matter their skin type.
How bad is the sun damage in the cases you’ve treated?
Most people have moles that just need observation by a doctor, annually. I also see a great number of actinic keratosis (AK), which are crusty growths found on the face, lips and back of the hands. The next stage is BCC, basal cell carcinoma, usually a sign of cumulative sun exposure. After that, I treat SCC, or squamous cell carcinoma, the second-most common form of skin cancer which occurs almost anywhere on the body. And then the most serious tumour, which is melanoma, of which I currently have two cases.
How curable are the four types?
With continual exposure, and for those with paler skins, AK takes five to 10 years to develop into something serious. The risk of cancer is unlikely and I can treat them with 100 per cent success. With BCC, full recovery, commonly via surgery, is possible if caught early. With SCC, the process is more invasive, but there are cures. The most aggressive is melanoma, which is only curable in the very early stages.
How can one monitor the skin?
Look for the A, B, C, D and Es. A is for mole asymmetry of any kind. B is for irregular borders. C is for uneven colour. D is watching specifically for a diameter greater than seven millimetres. And E is for any enlargement.
Sunblocks: four to try
Kiehl’s
Ultra Light Daily UV Defense: triple barrier against short & long UVA rays plus UVB rays.
• Dh145 from leading UAE malls, www.kiehls.com
Derma e
Antioxidant Natural Sunscreen: oil-free, non-greasy formula with broad spectrum UVA/ UVB protection.
• Dh99 at UAE pharmacists, www.dermae.com
Nuxe Sun
Facial creme:
anti-ageing protection, which helps in the prevention of dark spots.
• Dh119 from Sephora & UAE pharmacies, www.nuxe.com
Obagi Medical
Sun Shield: broad spectrum lotion, PABA- and fragrance-free.
• Dh205 from Obagi in Dubai Mall and Bawadi Mall, www.obagi.com
• Mole-mapping costs Dh900 to Dh15,000 in CosmeSurge clinics across the UAE. Call 04 447 1555 or visit www.cosmesurge.com
rduane@thenational.ae
