Dermatologists can tell a lot about your skin and the state of your health before they even begin the examination, often just seconds after walking into the room.
“The skin is the largest organ in the body, and it’s right there in front of you,” said Dr. Holly Gunn, medical director of the Dermatology, Aesthetic and Laser Center at St. Elizabeth Physicians in Florence. “Patients are pretty surprised by how fast we can come up with a diagnosis.”
Sun damage
Usually, the first thing Gunn recognizes in patients is what the sun has done to their skin throughout the years.
“Right away, I can tell how the sun has affected them over their lifetime and can come up with a pretty good assessment of their risk of developing skin cancer in the future,” she said. “As soon as I walk into the room, I start thinking about if I’m going to find skin cancer and, if so, where I’m going to find it as I start a full skin exam.”
If you want to decrease your risk of skin cancer or the signs of sun damage, Gunn said it’s best to use at least SPF 15 every day.
At risk for diabetes?
Gunn also notices other, more subtle signs on patients, such as velvety plaque on the skin that commonly is found on the neck of a pre-diabetic patient. It’s a sign the patient’s body is no longer handling sugar well and can even be seen before any other physical symptoms or lab abnormalities. It isn’t unusual for a patient to come in for a skin check and find out he or she has diabetes, Gunn said.
What are these bumps on my skin?
Sometimes subtle bumps and rashes can tell a dermatologist about diseases inside the body. Purple, flat bumps on patients’ skin, as well as a lattice-like plaque in the mouth ” called lichen planus ” can be signs of hepatitis, which is sometimes asymptomatic. They also can be associated with certain medications you’re taking that your body may be responding to adversely.
Are all skin rashes and bumps bad?
While skin rashes and bumps can provide clues to what’s going on inside the body, it’s not true that all of them are bad. Some rashes are a sign of healthy physical activity. For example, something called tinea versicolor “a white, flaky rash on your chest or back ” can be a sign that you’re an athlete.
Butterflies on my face?
Butterflies can be pretty, but not when you have a red one on your face. If you have a rash on your face that looks like a red butterfly, Gunn said it could be a sign of an autoimmune disorder like lupus, which can be a life-altering disease. With early treatment, however “thanks to a dermatologist noticing the red butterfly rash, for example, “internal complications sometimes can be prevented.
