Dermatologist drops essential cancer tip just for women
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“I see lesions on legs missed or ignored for long periods of time. The legs are a little bit out of sight and mind.” — Sam Ellis, MD, FAAD
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The video starts with a gut-punch: “If you’re a woman, stop scrolling—because this could save your life.”
That’s how board-certified dermatologist Sam Ellis, MD, FAAD, kicks off her latest viral Reel—and for good reason. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and for women, it most commonly shows up in a place that’s easy to miss: the legs.[]
“I see lesions on legs missed or ignored for long periods of time,” Dr. Ellis says. “The legs are a little bit out of sight and mind.”
It’s an easy blind spot, even for clinicians. Legs don’t always get the same scrutiny as faces, backs, or chests during a full-body skin exam. Patients, too, are more likely to slather sunscreen on their shoulders than their shins.
But as Dr. Ellis points out, that oversight can be deadly.
Related: Social media influencers claim sunscreen is toxicShe urges women to check their own skin monthly, and be especially vigilant about their legs: “Please pay extra close attention to your legs,” she says. “And please don’t forget about protecting your lower body from the sun.”
The reminder comes at the right time—Skin Cancer Awareness Month—and it’s a call to action for every physician: Are you educating your patients on where to look, and what to look for?
Because melanoma doesn’t care if a mole is hidden behind a kneecap or tucked under workout tights. If we’re not checking, we’re risking late-stage diagnoses—and lives.
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