Dysplastic Nevi - a.k.a. Atypical Moles

Hello everyone! I'm sorry it's been a few days since my last post, I've been busy setting up my new business venture! I am so excited to announce that I have partnered with the Drs. who created ProActiv in an unbelievable business opportunity to not only address acne - but also combat aging skin, reverse the signs of sun damage and repair sensitive skin! As you all know, I started this blog to share with everyone my personal skin cancer scare, and to stress the importance of protecting your skin.  I responded to a post on Facebook from Marie-Lynn Piscitelli, a beautiful and fabulous make-up artist, who is also the current Miss Connecticut USA! She is a skincare consultant for Rodan + Fields Dermatologists, and after speaking with her, we came to the conclusion that this business venture would be perfect for me! We are now business partners, and I am so excited to be working with her! On top of writing about the importance of protecting your skin, the dangers of tanning, different types of skin cancer etc; I will also be writing about all of Rodan + Fields amazing products and the wonderful business opportunity of working with Rodan + Fields! I can't wait for you all to read about the products and our company, as you won't find any products in a department or drug store that are this effective!


For today's blog, I am going to be writing about Dysplastic Nevi, also known as atypical moles.  This particular pre-cancerous lesion hits home for me, as I have had two atypical moles surgically removed. I have had a total of three moles removed, however one of them came back as normal, thank God for that! Dyplastic Nevi are unusual looking benign moles, however they may resemble melanoma. Individuals who have these atypical moles are at an increased risk of developing melanoma, in single or multiple forms.  The more atypical moles you have, the higher your risk of melanoma increases. Those who have 10 or more of these moles (which I do) have TWELVE times the risk of developing melanoma, compared to the normal population. According to medical reports, about 2-8% of the Caucasian population have these atypical moles. Heredity is definitely a factor, as those who have atypical moles AND have a family history of melanoma have an extremely high risk of developing melanoma during their lifetime.  Individuals who have dysplastic nevi, but not a family history of melanoma still face a 7 to 27 times higher risk for developing melanoma when compared to the general population (EEK! Scary!)  If you believe that you have any atypical moles, I STRONGLY suggest you make an appointment with your dermatologist to get a full-body skin exam.  Also, daily sun protection is a MUST! I can't stress that enough!

Some individuals have so many moles on their body, ranging from normal to atypical, that they are classified as having "Classic" Atypical Mole Syndrome.  People with "classic" atypical mole syndrome have 3 characteristics: having 100 or more moles, one or more moles which are atypical, and one or more moles that measure 8 mm (1/3 inch) or larger in diameter.

You definitely need to know your skin! I highly suggest getting familiar with all of the moles on your skins surface, as you can minimize your risk for melanoma by doing so. 

The Most Common Pre-Cancer: Actinic Keratosis

I am going to write a series of blogs everyday concerning the different types and forms of skin cancer. I have chosen to write about Actinic Keratosis first, as it is considered to be the most common pre-cancerous lesion.  Actinic Keratosis, also known as solar keratoses are scaly lesions that are caused by UV rays from the sun.  Keratoses usually form on areas that are exposed to the sun, such as your face or the back of your hands. They resemble warts, as they are rough in texture and are raised up from the skin.  Their coloring can vary from flesh-toned to pink and red.  If Actinic Keratosis is not treated, it can eventually advance into squamous cell carcinoma, which is the second most common form of skin cancer, behind melanoma.  Individuals at risk include those with fair skin, blond or red hair, and those with green, blue or grey eyes.  An interesting fact about Actinic Keratosis is that the location in which you live matters, as individuals living closer to the equator are more likely to have Actinic Keratoses. Cases of Actinic Keratoses are higher among men, as they usually use less sun protection then women do, and spend more time in the sun. Some scientists and experts believe that Actinic Keratoses are actually the earliest form of squamous cell carcinoma.  A staggering 58 million Americans are estimated to have Actinic Keratoses, which is extremely scary.  My Dad has had quite a few Actinic Keratoses removed from his back, as he recalls being so severely sunburned, that he had blisters the size of quarters all over his back.  The best way to prevent Actinic Keratoses from forming is to protect yourself from the sun! This includes wearing sunscreen, cover-up clothing, and staying out of the sun during peak hours, which are considered to be 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Make sure that your sunscreen is broad spectrum (protecting against both UVA and UVB rays). I'm not going to get into too much about sunscreen in this blog, as I am going to write an entire blog about sunscreens; which ones are safe, and which ones should be avoided.  I am also going to include pictures in some of my blogs, that way you can all see what these pre-cancerous lesions look like. Some of the photos may be a little graphic, so I will apologize in advance!

Embracing My Snow White Skin

Being born and raised in California, I have always loved soaking up the sun and having that "California glow" that so many of us are known for. I am also guilty of using tanning beds, but I never tanned all year round, unless I had a pageant or a photo shoot to do.  I always knew the dangers of using tanning beds, however you never think that you will be affected by the harmful rays you receive from indoor tanning. From a very young age, my Mom constantly stressed the importance of wearing sunscreen and shielding your face from the sun, as she was a skincare specialist and make-up artist for years. Since I am of Italian heritage, I never considered myself to be in the high-risk category for developing skin cancer. As I have now found out, there is no so-called "category," as anyone can be at risk for developing skin cancer.  I have a family history of skin cancer, as my Uncle had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his nose last December. My Dad has also had numerous suspicious spots removed, with the concern that they could eventually turn into basal cell carcinoma. Even though I have a family history of skin cancer, I still never thought that I would be at risk of developing abnormal lesions. I have always had a lot of freckles, however I was always under the impression that my "darker" freckles were just beauty marks. In May of this year, I went to see my dermatologist for a routine check-up.  Knowing my family history of skin cancer, and observing how many freckles I have, he decided to do a complete skin screening.  I had no problem with this, as I was sure that I would be clear of any suspicious spots or lesions. I couldn't have been more wrong.  My dermatologist found two spots, one on each leg that he considered to be abnormal. All of the "beauty marks" I thought I had were actually MOLES.  I was in complete shock, as he said that they would have to be sent to a lab to be biopsied to make sure all of the cells were removed. A couple of weeks went by, and after not hearing a response, I was sure that my biopsies came back as normal.  However, this was not the case. The mole taken off my right leg came back as being normal, however the one removed from my left leg came back as having abnormal cell growth, and is considered to be an abnormal nevus.An abnormal nevus, also known as a dysplastic nevi, are benign moles, however having a lot of them (which I do) increases your risk for developing single or multiple melanomas. The more dysplastic nevi you have, the higher your melanoma risk increases. Once again, I was in complete shock. All of these questions flooded my head, I'm only 24 years old, how can I already have abnormal spots? My doctor informed me that I would have to have surgery on my left leg to ensure that all of the abnormal cells were gone. I have undergone surgery, and am currently in the healing process, waiting to hear the results of my biopsy. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and that God gave me the task to spread the word about the importance of protecting your skin and raising awareness for skin cancer.  According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States today. I have chosen to write this blog in order to spread awareness for the disease, as well as offer my insight. I have learned to embrace my Snow White skin, and am completely content not being tan!