Robert Norman M.D., a dermatologist based out of Tampa, Fla., told The Suit that prevention is a vital part of staying in good health. With his focus on geriatric patients, he knows better than anyone how a lack of proper skincare early in life can lead to problems down the road, from minor wrinkles to malignant cancers.
Norman decided that he could make the most difference by educating others, and he’s getting the word out in any way he can. Aside from running his own dermatology practice, he’s also an author, a public speaker, a medical volunteer and a radio personality. “I've had an idea for many years to talk more about prevention, because really, that's what it's all about for me in the long run,” he said. “My last textbook was on preventive dermatology, which was the first book on prevention that I know of in the field.”
Because the outside environment has such a major impact on the skin, preventative care is extremely important in deterring skin problems. “If people don't protect their skin when they're younger from the effects of the sun, which is fairly easy to do by wearing a hat and sunblock and protective clothing, especially during the peak hours of the day, these all will have an effect over time on the skin,” Norman said. He also explained that smoking greatly increases the risk of both skin cancer and wrinkles.
The second part of keeping skin healthy is awareness. Noticing and resolving problems early keeps them from becoming major health risks. In one of his books, ‘The Woman Who Lost Her Skin,’ Norman recounts a story of a man whose friend noticed an odd-looking spot on his back during a racquetball game. When he went for an examination upon his friend’s insistence, his blemish turned out to be a large melanoma. “We ended up getting it excised, and it really was at the best possible time, given how far advanced it had been,” Norman said. In that case, a friend’s concern became a lifesaver, and Norman hopes to promote that same vigilance in as many people as he can reach.
“One of the biggest things is to help young people to prevent these problems by giving them knowledge,” he said. “If they see abnormal lesions or spots on the skin, for example a spot that tends to be irritated more than any other mole or spot, that's the one that we call 'the ugly duckling,' the one that really needs to get seen by a professional.”
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