Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer. The good news? Skin cancer can almost always be cured when it’s found and treated early. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to prevent skin cancer or detect it early on.
Here are Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts to prevent skin cancer:
1. Seek the shade, especially between 10 AM and 4 PM when the sun is strongest. An extra rule of thumb is the “shadow rule.” If your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation is stronger; if your shadow is longer, UV radiation is less intense.
2. Do not burn. A person’s risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, doubles if he or she has had five or more sunburns at any point in life. Severe burns not only significantly increase your chances of developing skin cancer, but can make you ill. For severe burns, see your doctor.
3. Avoid tanning and UV tanning booths. UV radiation from tanning machines is known to cause cancer in humans. Indoor UV tanners are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, than those who have never tanned indoors. Tanning bed users are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma. The more time a person has spent tanning indoors, the higher the risk.
4. Cover up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses. Clothing can be your most effective form of sun protection, so make the most of it with densely woven and bright- or dark-colored fabrics, which offer the best defense. The more skin you cover, the better, so choose long sleeves and long pants whenever possible.
5. Use a broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher every day. For extended outdoor activity, use a water-resistant, broad spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher.
6. Apply 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of sunscreen to your entire body 30 minutes before going outside. Reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or excessive sweating. One six-ounce bottle of sunscreen should provide two full days of sun protection for prolonged outdoor activity.
7. An SPF of 30 is sufficient to block close to 97 percent of damaging sun rays when applied as instructed. SPF of at least 30 should be applied year-round, including cloudy days.”
8. Keep newborns out of the sun since their skin is extremely vulnerable. Sunscreens should be used on babies over the age of six months. Children are very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation- just one severe sunburn in childhood doubles the chances of developing melanoma later in life.
9. Examine your skin head-to-toe every month. While self-exams shouldn’t replace the important annual skin exam performed by a physician, they offer the best chance of detecting the early warning signs of skin cancer. If you notice any change in an existing mole or discover a new one that looks suspicious, see a physician immediately. To find out more about how to perform self-examination and spot a skin cancer, visit www.SkinCancer.org/selfexamination.
10. See your physician every year for a professional skin exam. You can also check www.SkinCancer.org/Tour to see if The Skin Cancer Foundation’s Road to Healthy Skin Tour is coming to your area. The Tour, presented by AVEENO and Rite Aid, provides FREE, full-body skin exams by local dermatologists.
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Mother’s Day is only a day away.   Why not fill the day with one or all of these Five Fun ways to enjoy Mother’s Day!
1. Plant some flowers.
If you have some extra space in your garden, you can create a real, live Mother’s Day canvas. First, buy various packets of flower seeds that grow fast and well. Then have your kids draw a picture or write a short message (like “We love Mom”) in the garden dirt with a stick. Drop the flower seeds into the dirt lines; then cover them up, and water every few days. Before long, your picture (or message) will be blooming, and you’ll have a Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving.
2. Have an exotic “staycation”
If you can’t afford to go to France, make France come to you! Have a picnic lunch in the park or a dinner in your own home with some croissants, cheese, bread and some French wine, and get into the flavour of the country. You can pick your favorite country and enjoy some of their culture’s finest foods and drinks from the comfort of your dining room, and create some unforgettable Mother’s Day memories!
3. Go on a shopping spree
With everything that moms do for their families throughout the year, it’s never easy to find the time for personal indulgence. Mother’s Day is the perfect time for a shopping spree, and the best way to make sure you get the gift you’ve had your eye on! Be sure to do it guilt free after all, Mother’s Day only comes once a year.
4. Get pampered
Any mom will tell you that it’s hard to put a price on the gift of relaxation, and there’s nothing more relaxing than being pampered with a “spa-day”. Use Mother’s Day to get a few hours of spa services such as a massage, facial or body scrub or a pedicure.
5. Do a walk or run for Charity
There are organized walks and runs happening all over the country on Mother’s Day, and many families make this an annual tradition. It is not too late to register for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. To find out more go to: http://www.komenminnesota.org/Komen_Race_for_the_Cure_/Race_Information.htm. On top of the physical benefits of completing in a walk or run, you can take pride in the fact that you are contributing to raising funds to help fight breast cancer.
Wishing all Mother’s a very Happy Mother’s Day that is personalized just for you! Enjoy! You deserve it!

Summer is getting closer every day! That means more sunshine, outdoor activities and wearing swimsuits. Last year, a survey was done by Wakefield Research, commissioned by ZELTIQ® Aesthetics, Inc.  (the makers of the CoolSculpting® system) and their findings confirm why Coolsculpting is so popular. It found that 88 percent of women would like to improve one area of their body before they consider themselves “bikini ready.” Even for women who are in shape and leading healthy lifestyles, the survey found that most still have problem areas that they would love to improve. It won’t come as a surprise to you that 74% of women felt their abdomen was a trouble spot and 54% said it was their thighs. Can you relate? Does the thought of summer make you smile but the vision of squeezing into your swimsuit quickly make you cringe a bit? You are not alone. In the past, you would probably focus mainly on eating and exercise but NOW we have another option to get results.
As the weather warms up, there is no question that we are more motivated to get in shape or slim down in order to look better in summer clothes and swimsuits. While many of the women we see are leading healthy lifestyles, most of them can still name a trouble or spot or two that they desperately wish they could improve.  CoolSculpting is the perfect fit for these individuals.  This procedure is a non-invasive treatment that targets underlying fat pockets without surgery or downtime.
Preparing your body for summer can be an intimidating process for women. The Wakefield “Summer’s Bare Facts” survey found that approximately 78% of women would be unwilling to post a photo of themselves in a bikini as their social media profile. In addition, the results of the survey showed that American women think about fixing or bettering their bodies approximately seven times per day. It’s time to free yourself from those thoughts. We’d love to sit down and spend some time telling you more about Coolsculpting and the beautiful results that you can achieve without putting your life on hold.
Consultations are always free! We currently have a special running: 15% off Coolsculpting Packages.