Drinking Caffeinated Coffee Linked to Lower Risk of Skin Cancer

Good news for all you coffee addicts out there!

A recent study involving 113,000 participants over a 20-year period found that people who drink three or more cups of caffeinated coffee a day have a 20 percent lower risk of getting basal cell carcinoma than those who don’t drink caffeinated coffee.

Each year, 2.8 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer. Within that number, basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer.

For researchers and dermatologists alike, this is an exciting development in skin cancer research. “Caffeine may help the body kill off damaged skin cells,” said Dr. Josh Zeichner, assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York. "If you get rid of these cells that are damaged, then they don't have the opportunity to grow and form cancers."

Overall, researchers identified caffeine as the key ingredient in reducing a person’s risk of getting basal cell carcinoma; when participants drank decaffeinated coffee, they did not experience the same benefits. In addition to coffee, other caffeinated items like soda, tea and chocolate were also linked to a lower risk of obtaining basal cell carcinoma.

Dr. Zeichner noted this discovery is intriguing, but people should not immediately go out and drink coffee and soda by the gallons. At this time, Zeichner and other researchers believe additional research needs to be conducted on this subject.

Best and Worst Cities for Skin

A recent study by Daily Glow revealed the best and worst cities in America for your skin. The cities that ranked at the top of the list tend to have little sunshine and low ozone rates.  The worst cities for skin are hot, dry and have a lot of sunshine. Specifically, California contains three of the five worst cities for your skin in the country.

Daily Glow determined that Portland, Oregon, is the best city for your skin due to low pollution and ozone rates.  Las Vegas, Nevada, is the worst city for your skin due to the high population of smokers and high amounts of sunshine. Although Greenville was not included in this study, researchers found nearby Charlotte, North Carolina, to be the seventh worst city in the country for your skin because of high ozone and pollution levels.

As reported on Good Morning America, the study looked at the 55 biggest cities in America and determined the rankings based on the number of melanoma cases, percentage of smokers and number of dermatologists per capita. The study also took into account the amount of tanning salons per capita, climate conditions, air pollution and ozone rates.

Below are the top five best and worst cities for your skin:

Best Cities for your Skin:

1.       Portland, Oregon

2.      San Francisco, California

3.      Seattle, Washington

4.      Baltimore, Maryland

5.       Chicago, Illinois

Worst Cities for your Skin:

1.       Las Vegas, Nevada

2.      Phoenix, Arizona

3.      Fresno, California

4.      Sacramento, California

5.       Los Angeles, California

Skin Tips for Summer

It’s summertime, and that means more outdoor activities and, unfortunately, more sunburns. I always tell my patients to wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater and to stay protected in the sun; however, did you know that certain foods can also improve and protect your skin if you are burned? Two recent articles in Martha Stewart Magazine  and Whole Living  revealed numerous ways to reduce or prevent a sunburn.

One way to help rid of a burn or a sunspot is by watching your sugar intake. Consuming less sugar will help reduce the imbalance of skin discolorations and sunspots. Additionally, to reduce the chances of getting melanoma by 5 percent, drink two cups of coffee a day. Drinking caffeinated coffee can potentially help self-destruct precancerous cells in the body. Alongside coffee, caffeinated green tea is a recommended to drink before going out into the sun. Polyphenols, active compounds found in green tea, can help fight against UV radiation.

Eating your fruits and vegetables is another great way to fight sunburns or sunspots. Tomatoes, carrots and broccoli are healthy foods that can help reduce inflammation after a sunburn. Eating grapes and berries is another way to reduce inflammation. The skin on the grapes and berries contain a strong anti-inflammatory compound to help reduce sunspots and sunburns. Lastly, using herbs and spices in your food can help reduce inflammation and redness on the skin.

Give these tips a try and consult Dr. Miller and his knowledgeable staff with any additional questions you have to keep your summer skin at its healthiest!

Solutions for Minimizing Scars

For some, scars get in the way of one’s daily life and can bring along feelings of self-consciousness.  At Greenville Dermatology we offer a range of options that can help with the disappearance of your blemishes. Whether your scar is from acne, an accident, or a surgical procedure, we care about helping our patients find solutions to the pesky facial marks that don’t seem to go away.

One option we use at Greenville Dermatology to diminish scarring is through the use of fractional laser technology. The Palomar ICON laser has been a successful solution for scar removal for many of our patients.  Laser scar removal with Palomar is appropriate for use on all skin types, we use pulses of laser light to coagulate scar tissue and trigger healthy new tissue to form in clients' skin. Healing time is minimal, infection risk is eliminated and little to no pain is felt.

Retinoids can also help reduce scar thickness and redness. Greenville Dermatology offers both topical and oral Retinoids which can not only diminish scarring, but can also prevent future acne outbreaks.

For more solutions to scarring and acne, make an appointment with Greenville Dermatology today so we can evaluate your scar and find the best option for you.