Self Examination

For women self examination is very important and yet few do it. First, self exam of breasts is important as any lump that is new must be investigated. Usually the nonpainful lump is the one to worry about. Mammograms and sonograms of the breasts should also be done after the age of 30 yo to make sure all is OK.  Examination of one’s skin is also very important. Squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas occur in increasing quantities now that people think they can be longer in the sun because they have a sunscreen on. Wrong. Sunscrean may buy you only 1/2 longer in the sun with same effect if you overdo it than if you had no sunscreen on. Many women like to play tennis, golf, swim or go to the beach with their kids or walk on the beach with their friends. Many like to have lunch outside and many think they look better with a suntan on. Well, the sun is great for our personal well being. It makes things grow, it makes us happy as all is bright and pretty. However, it is very dangerous for our skin. We have to worry about melanoma as well, which is a cancer of our pigment producing cells. It is deadly and devastating and spreads very quickly. Thus self examination of our skin is very important. If you see something unusual in color or if a lesion is growing in size, ask a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist to examin it or maybe take a biopsy.  Same is true of our intestines and ovaries. We should have ovarian sonogram every year, and should also have a colonoscopy especially after the age of 50 yo. Now it brings me to pap smears. Cervical cancer, uterine cancer and vaginal cancer also occur, more often than you think.  Therefore examination of our pelvic areas are just as important.  Sometimes people may get cancer of the vulva, or vagina.  Therefore, you must look and examine your pelvic region not only to see if it looks attractive but also to see if there are any lesions that may look suspicious.  Remember, cancer does not hurt.  Many women also contract vaginal herpes or urethral herpes.  It is cold sores of the vaginal area which is contagious.  There are inflammatory diseases of the pelvis which is very painful, there are some today which develop syphilis especially if they come in contact with someone who was a soldier over seas.  Scabies is another infection that one can get from contact. There are also many other strange lesions that occur in that area so one must look and examine, and question and see a doctor for it.  So self examination is not vanity, but it may save your life.