Skin Savvy: Forefront Dermatology Brings Comprehensive Skin Treatment to Clients

SKIN SAVVY

FOREFRONT DERMATOLOGY BRINGS COMPREHENSIVE SKIN TREATMENT TO CLIENTS

Writer / Angela Cornell Photographer / Jubilee Edgell

Lindsay Stevens, FNP, a nurse practitioner at Forefront Dermatology, has noticed that many people don’t pursue medical advice until something has gone wrong.

“The most common problems are, in all honesty, going to be skin cancers because most people ignore their skin until it presents them with a problem,” Stevens says.

“Rashes is the second most common, and acne.”

What most people don’t realize is the old adage - an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure - is extremely fitting when it comes to the skin.

In many respects, the skin is the body’s first line of defense, like a knight’s armor.

“The skin is actually the filtering system for the human body,” Stevens explains.

Just like any armor, the skin tells the story of what it has to defend you against, both inside and out.

“It tells your hydration level, it tells what chronic diseases you have - I can have a patient come in and I can tell immediately by looking at their skin that they’re diabetic, have a thyroid problem, or something like that,” Stevens says. “Our skin tells a story that’s far more in depth than just a skin check or cosmetics, although we do those too.”

The skin can also break down thanks to poor hygiene, diet, or outside circumstances

like too much sun. Because of this, Stevens highly recommends getting a comprehensive full-body skin exam sooner rather than later.

“We explain what we see, why it’s there, what’s normal, what’s not normal and what to look for,” Stevens says. For a passionate dermatologist like Stevens, proactive prevention is incredibly important, and it’s an idea she works to instill in her patients. Prevention can start any time by adding a few healthy habits to your daily routine. First, sunblock is a must, especially since ultraviolet (UV) radiation is cumulative. “It’s not just what you’ve got now, it’s what you’ve gotten since you were a kid, and it builds up in your system,” Stevens says.

“One bad sunburn has caused cancer cells, so now we help our body fight them and keep them under control.”

One thing she likes to do with her patients is educate them on appropriate sun protection - both what to look for in healthy sunscreens, and what to avoid as ineffective. Ultimately, Stevens recommends sunblock with at least 30 SPF.

“It’s every day - rain, snow or shine, especially if they’re going to be in a car for more than 20 minutes because UV radiation goes through windows,” she says. For those who spend large blocks of time outdoors, 50 SPF is recommended.

“You should apply it frequently,” Stevens says. “Wearing hats and staying out of the

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sun when your shadow is next to your feet - those are all great ways to prevent sun damage.”

Moisturizing your skin is also important. “Moisturize at least once a day, if not twice, and go with a good cream,” Stevens says. Getting a full-body skin exam is also a smart move, especially for those who have more than 40 moles, a family history of skin cancers, have used tanning beds, have had chronic exposure to the sun, or are over 40 years of age.

Even for those who don’t fall into any of these categories, health-conscious proactivity is still a good idea.

“Just come in for a baseline, so you understand what you should be monitoring for,” Stevens says. “If you’re proactive enough, you can avoid coming to see me when you have a cancer, because we’ve caught it before it becomes one.” At the end of the day, Stevens’ goal is not only to offer medical intervention for her patients, but also to educate them.

“The skin is the biggest organ on the body that protects everything within,” she says. “Get to know your body and start protecting it now, so that it can protect you for the rest of your life. In the process, if you have healthy skin, you look beautiful.” Forefront Dermatology is located at 2246 North Pointe Drive in Warsaw, and at 330 North Wabash Avenue, Suite 360 in Marion. Visit them online at forefrontdermatology.com. To schedule an appointment with Stevens, call 574-3499242, Ext. 1 and ask for Lindsay Stevens.

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