Get Regular Check-Ups

Wellness Check-ups

Remember to schedule regular health checkups. These can help identify a medical condition before symptoms appear. Your health plan probably recommends a schedule for wellness checkups based on age and sex. Discuss this with your healthcare provider because he or she might advise you to get some checkups sooner or more often if you are at risk for certain illnesses.

Be sure that your wellness checkup includes all the recommended tests and procedures.

Self-Examinations

Don’t forget to do any recommended self-examinations. For example, you should inspect your skin regularly, looking for any suspicious growths and any changes in the size and color of moles. Your healthcare provider should be able to indicate if your mole is normal or not.

An important element of caring for your skin involves routinely shielding it from the sun's damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays. Daily sunscreen application is ideal, but the majority of Americans aren't doing enough to protect themselves. They only use sunscreen at the pool, or forget to reapply, or to cover up (preferably with dark clothing, which provides greater protection).

A source of information is SkinCarePhysicians. This site was developed by the American Academy of Dermatology specifically as an up-to-date resource on the treatment and management of skin diseases.

Women should also do a monthly breast self-examination. See breastcancer.org for information on how to do a breast exam.