UP NEXT ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH..." >> TONIGHT'S TOPIC, BEAUTIFUL HEALTHY SKIN.

A PROMINENT SYRACUSE DERMATOLOGIST DISCUSSES SKIN HEALTH WITH THE PLASTIC SURGEON WHO REMOVED MY OWN POTENTIALLY DEADLY SKIN CANCER.

AND SEE HOW PARA MEDICAL TATTOOING IS A POST SURGICAL AND COS COSMETIC OPTION.

>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO CYCLE OF HEALTH.

I'M YOUR HOST, DR. RICH O'NEILL.

TONIGHT'S TOPIC: "BEAUTIFUL SKIN."

WE'RE HERE TO DISCUSS ALL THINGS SKIN HEALTH, SKIN CARE, AND LOVING THE SKIN YOU'RE IN.

JOINING US ARE DR. JOYCE FARAH, DERMATOLOGIST WITH FARAH DERMATOLOGY AND COSMETICS, AND DR. ENRIQUE ARMENTA, PLASTIC SURGEON WITH SYRACUSE PLASTIC SURGERY.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YOUR SKIN IS THE BODY'S LARGEST ORGAN, AND IT NEEDS TO BE TREATED WITH GREAT CARE.

IT SERVES SEVERAL IMPORTANT FUNCTIONS: IT REGULATES BODY TEMPERATURE, PROTECTS US FROM HARMFUL MICROBES AND UV RAYS, PREVENTS DEHYDRATION, AND OF COURSE, NOT TO GET TOO TECHNICAL HERE, BUT IT JUST HOLDS ALL OF OUR INSIDE STUFF WHERE IT BELONGS, INSIDE!

NOW I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME 12,000 DIAGNOSEABLE SKIN CONDITIONS NOT INCLUDING AGING-ITIS AND GRAVITY SYNDROME.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON CONDITIONS PEOPLE COME TO SEE YOU FOLKS FOR?

>> WELL, HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU HAVE?

>> NOT 12,000... >> WE'LL START, ACTUALLY, A LOT OF RASHES OF VAIRSZ VARIOUS CONDITIONS, PSORIASIS, ECZEMA AND MANY, MANY OTHERS.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO HAVE THEIR SKIN CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THEY DON'T HAVE SKIN CANCER.

>> I DO THAT EVERY YEAR, EVERY SIX MONTHS FOR A WHILE.

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

AND ACNE IS A BIG ONE, ESPECIALLY IN THE YOUNGER OR TEENAGE AND YOUNG ADULT POPULATION.

>> I THINK Dr. JOYCE, I STILL HAVE SOME OF THE SAME ZITS I HAD IN HIGH SCHOOL.

>> WELL, YOU ARE STILL YOUNG.

>> THERE WE GO.

THANK YOU.

>> TO Dr. FARAH, MOST OF THE PATIENTS THAT WILL GO TO HER WOULD BE BECAUSE OF ISSUES OR TREATMENTS THAT COULD BE MAYBE TREATED WE CANS TERM OR INTERNAL MEDICATIONS.

WHEN THEY DECIDE TO COME TO A PLASTIC SURGEON, USUALLY THEY ARE THINKING MORE OF SURGERY.

THEY DON'T COME TO US FOR PRESCRIPTION, THEY COME TO US FOR SURGERY.

>> MEDICAL NOT SURGERY.

>> EVEN THOUGH THE TWO SPECIALTIES OVERLAP TODAY, THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN ONE AND THE OTHER.

LET ME JUST TELL YOU THAT IN OUR GROUP, WE ARE THREE RIGHT NOW AND BY THE END OF THE YEAR, WE WILL BE FIVE.

IT WILL BE THE FIRST TIME IN SYRACUSE AT THAT TIME WE HAVE FIVE PLASTIC SURGEONS, EACH ONE WILL DEDICATE TO WHAT THEY LIKE MOST.

WE WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF TREATMENTS, A VARIETY OF THINGS LIKE WE NEVER HAD BEFORE.

>> SOME SUB, SUBSPECIALTIES.

>> CORRECT.

>> SO, YOU KNOW, I HAVE THREE NEW GRANDKIDS WHO ARE LIKE TWO AND A HALF AND YOUNGER.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE NOTICED IS THEIR SKIN IS LIKE ONE OF THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD.

IT'S LIKE SO SMOOTH AND IT EVEN SMELLS GOOD.

IT SMELLS LIKE NOTHING ELSE.

IT'S JUST AMAZING HOW IT SMELLS.

SO WHAT ARE THE BEST THINGS WE CAN DO FOR OURSELVES TO KEEP OUR SKIN AS MUCH LIKE BABY SKIN AS IT CAN.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

>> WELL, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS ACTUALLY PROTECT YOUR SKIN FROM UV RADIATION.

THAT WOULD INVOLVE USING SUN SCREEN ON A REGULAR BASIS, NOT USING TANNING BEDS, USING PROTECTIVE CLOTHING WHENEVER YOU CAN.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO ENJOY YOUR LIFE AND DO WHAT YOU LIKE TO TO DO, BUT YOU CAN TIME WHEN YOU DO YOUR ACTIVITIES SO MINIMIZE THE MOST INTENSE UV EXPOSURE.

>> WHICH IS LIKE 10-4, IS THAT RIGHT?

>> THAT'S ABOUT RIGHT.

10-3, 10 TO 4.

AND IT DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE BECAUSE LOWER LATITUDES CLOSER TO THE EQUATOR, YOU HAVE MORE INTENSE UV EXPOSURE AND HIGHER ALTITUDES CANS THE ATMOSPHERE IS THINNER AND YOU HAVE HIGHER UV EXPOSURE AS WELL AND OF COURSE BY THE WATER AND SNOW.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO ADD ANOTHER THING, WHICH PEOPLE FORGET ABOUT.

SMOKING ONE OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR FACIAL SKIN.

THE AMAZING, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DWIN TWINS WHEN YOU SEE A TWIN THAT DOESN'T SMOKE NEXT TO A TWIN THAT SMOKES, IT'S LIKE 20 YEARS DIFFERENCE.

>> AND YOU CAN TELL JUST BY LOOKING AT A PATIENT WITHOUT EVEN ASKING THEM THAT THEY'RE A SMOKER.

YOU CAN TELL.

>> SOMETIMES IT'S JUST THE SMELL , BUT-- >> BESIDE THE SMELL.

>> THEY DON'T NOTICE IT ANYMORE.

>> YOU CAN TELL FROM THEIR SKIN WHEN SOMEONE IS A SMOKER.

>> THE SKIN HAS COMPLETE DIFFERENT APPEARANCE.

>> THEY DON'T HEAL AS WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO COULD COSMETIC PROCEDURES, THE OUTCOMES ARE NOT AS WELL.

>> COSMETIC PROCEDURES ARE A BIG PROBLEM FOR A SMOKER, EVEN IF THEY STOP SMOKING.

THEY STILL COULD HAVE COMPLICATIONS.

WE SEE A LOT WITH BREAST CANCER RECONSTRUCTION, PATIENTS THAT HAVE SMOKED EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE STOPPED, USUALLY THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE PROBLEMS EVEN FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AFTER STOP SMOKING.

THEY STILL HAVE PROBLEMS.

>> SMM ONE THING, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN, DON'T SMOKE.

AND YOU LIVE SIX TO SEVEN YEARS LONGER BESIDE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU MENTIONED SURGICAL PROCEDURES AND A LOT OF MEDICAL PROCEDURES I KNOW THAT THERE ARE NOW SOME NEW OPTIONS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE UNDERGONE PROCEDURES LIKE PARA MEDICAL TATTOOING.

OUR CREW WENT OUT TO PAINTED LADY STUDIOS TO FIND OUT MORE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

>> MY BUSINESS IS PAINTED LADY STUDIOS.

IT IS A SKIN CARE AND PERMANENT MAKEUP STUDIO.

WE ARE LOCATED IN ARMORY SQUARE DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE.

PARA MEDICAL TATTOOING IS A PROCEDURE THAT IS DESIGNED TO BRING NORMALCY BACK TO SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THROUGH, USUALLY A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE.

SCAR CAMOUFLAGE OR ARREOLA RESTORATION.

EITHER A SURGERY OR SOME SORT OF INJURY, BRINGING THAT SKIN BACK TO APPEARING AS CLOSE TO NORMAL AS POSSIBLE.

MY JOB IS TO BLEND THE SCAR, TO MAKE IT MATCH THE NATURAL SKIN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE; WHEREAS BODY TATTOO ARTISTS, TRADITIONAL TATTOO ARTISTS ARE LOOKING TO MAKE THEIR THINGS, MAKING THEIR CREATIONS STAND OUT.

VAL HAD ARREOLA RESTORATION AND SCAR CAMOUFLAGE AT THE SAME TIME.

VAL DID HAVE WHAT IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS TOP SURGERY, PLAS TECT MI.

-- MASTECTOMY.

IN THIS CASE IT WAS A GENDER AFFIRMING SURGERY.

WE WILL ALWAYS START WITH CONSULTATION SPEAKING WITH THE CLIENT TO DISCUSS THEIR ORIGINS OF THEIR SCAR, WHETHER IT BE FROM SURGERY OR TRAUMA, AND THEN THE AGE OF THE SCAR AS WELL IS IMPORTANT.

WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE SCAR IS FULLY HEALED AND IS NO LONGER CHANGING COLOR.

FROM THERE, WE GO INTO PICKING THE CORRECT COLOR, WHICH IS ALWAYS A BLEND.

AND THERE IS NEVER JUST ONE STRAIGHT COLOR BECAUSE SKIN IS NEVER ONE STRAIGHT COLOR.

SO WE USUALLY USE A MIX OF THREE TO FIVE BLENDED TOGETHER APPLIED IN TRANSLUCENT LAYERS.

>> THAT'S AWESOME.

>> I HAVE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO I'M WORKING WITH FOR THEIR VERY FIRST TATTOO.

I'VE ALSO HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD BAD EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST.

SO I DO DEAL WITH A LOT OF CLIENTS WITH APPREHENSION.

A LITTLE BIT OF NERVES.

I TELL EVERYONE IT'S OKAY.

IT'S A TATTOO.

IT'S NORMAL TO BE A LITTLE BIT NERVOUS.

I THINK YOU'RE GOOD.

WE'LL SEE.

NO PROMISES.

I VERY RARELY, I DON'T THINK EVER, HAVE HAD ANYONE REGRET GETTING THIS.

ALMOST EVERYONE SAYS I CAN'T BELIEVE I WAITED THAT LONG.

AND I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS SOONER.

SOMETIMES I WILL NUMB AN AREA WITH A TOPICAL LIDOCAINE IF NECESSARY.

AFTER THE NUMBING STUFF IS COMPLETE, WE GO RIGHT IN AND WE START TO APPLY THE PIGMENT THROUGH A TRADITIONAL TATTOOING PROCESS.

PARA MEDICAL TATTOOING IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT JUST HELPS TO BRING A LITTLE BIT OF HEALING BACK TO THE PERSON BY LOOKING DOWN AND SEEING THAT SCAR MINIMIZED OR CAMOUFLAGED, WIPED AWAY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

IT USUALLY IS THAT LAST STEP OF HEALING, BRINGING THAT FULL CIRCLE CLOSING THAT CHAPTER OF THEIR LIVES USUALLY.

AS A SERVICE, MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PART IS THE ENDING, SEEING MY CLIENTS' REACTION, THEIR RESPONSE TO THE PROCEDURE.

SO MANY TIMES, ESPECIALLY WITH A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, NOBODY LEAVES THE ROOM WITHOUT TEARS IN THEIR EYES.

IT'S A VERY EMOTIONAL PROCESS.

BUT A VERY REWARDING ONE AS WELL.

FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

>> SO, LET'S SHIFT TO TALKING ABOUT KIDS AND HOW DO WE PROTECT OUR KIDS' SKIN?

>> SO I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO INSTILL IN CHILDREN AS THEY'RE GROWING UP, GOOD SUN PROTECTION HABITS BECAUSE IT'S REALLY HARD TO BREAK HABITS AS WE ALL KNOW.

SO TO BEGIN WITH, I THINK TO HAVE REGULAR SUNSCREEN USE ON THE KIDS, AND THERE ARE SOME SENSITIVE SUN SCREENS.

THERE ARE SOME BRANDS THAT MARKET THEMSELVES FOR CHILDREN.

>> PARTICULARLY FOR KIDS.

>> YES, AND A LOT OF THOSE HAVE SOME OF THE PHYSICAL BLOCKERS WHICH ARE SYNC AND TIE TAIN TITANIUM WHICH IS EASY FOR PEOPLE TO REMEMBER.

ZINC.

THOSE ARE THE SUN SCREENS THAT SIT ON TOP OF THE SKIN AND DON'T GET ABSORBED AND THEY REFLECT THE LIGHT OFF.

>> SO THE ZINC AND TITANIUM, THEY'RE ON TOP AND ACT LIKE A REFLECTOR.

>> THAT'S BASICALLY HOW THEY WORK.

>> AND FORRINGS KIDS YOU DON'T WANT THE CHEMICAL SUNSCREENS.

>> I WOULD TEND TO SAY THAT BECAUSE CHILDREN'S SKIN IS NOT VERY MATURE, SO THE WAY THEY ABSORB THINGS THAT YOU PUT ON THEM IS MUCH MORE INTENSE AND DIFFERENT THAN WHAT AN ADULT'S MATURE SKIN DOES.

BECAUSE THEIR SKIN-BODY RATIO AND SKIN MATURITY LENDSth TO MORE SYSTEMIC ABSORPTION.

>> IMPORTANT LIKELY TO GO INTO THEIR WHOLE BODY.

>> THAT'S WITH ANYTHING.

EVEN MEDICATED CREAMS.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WITH SMALL CHILDREN.

AND I WOULD ACTUALLY START THEM WITH GOOD HABITS OF WEARING HATS AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING.

I WOULD GO SO FAR AS TO WEAR SUNGLASSES AS WELL BECAUSE DOWN THE ROAD YOU WANT TO PROTECT THEM FROM CATARACTS.

>> I'M THINKING OF MY GRANDKIDS AND I HAVE PICTURES MAYBE I WILL BE ABLE TO BRING SOME IN AND THEY CAN STICK THEM IN THE SHOW, OF THE KIDS WITH THE SUN BLOCKS AND THE HATS, RIGHT?

AND THEY LOOK SO CUTE.

>> THEY DO.

AND IF IT BECOMES A HABIT, IT BECOMES SECOND NATURE.

AND I WOULD SAY ALSO, YOU KNOW, THE SECOND IMPORTANT THING WE SHOULD TEACH OUR CHILDREN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING IS TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR SKIN THIS TERMS OF NUTRITION AS WELL.

THE OLD ADAGE GARBAGE IN IS GARBAGE OUT.

THE SKIN HAS A MYRIAD OF BACTERIA, VIRUSES, YEAST, THAT ARE HEALTHY.

AND THAT WE NEED.

THEY'RE HEALTHY.

>> HEALTHY STUFF THAT IS PART OF THE SKIN.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THOSE ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN SKIN HEALTH AND WHEN THAT GETS DISRUPTEDDED, YOU CAN START HAVING MORE SKIN DISEASE.

THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAN AFFECT SKIN DISEASE.

AND TO MAXIMIZE THAT, YOU REALLY NEED TO HAVE GOOD NUTRITION BECAUSE YOUR GUT BACTERIA AFFECTS WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR SKIN.

>> SO THIS IS LIKE THE BIOME THAT THEY... >> THE SKIN BIOME, BUY WROA FILM.

>>-- BIO FILM SO THERE IS A SKIN BIOME, TOO.

>> DEFINITELY.

AND THERE ARE STUDIES TRYING DIFFERENT PROCEED BUYOUT IKES-- PROBIOTIC CS FOR PEOPLE WE CANS MA.

THAT IS HELPING.

IT GOES INTO HOW YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN BECAUSE A LOT OF THE THINGS WE DO TO OUR SKIN DISRUPT THAT FILM, WHICH INCLUDES SMOKING, TOO.

>> WELL THAT'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT THING, TOO, THE CHANGE OF WEIGHT.

SO IF CHILDREN ARE VERY OBESE, EVENTUALLY EITHER THE SKIN COULD GO THROUGH BREAKDOWNS WITH STRETCH MARKS OR IF THEY LOSE WEIGHT AFTERWARDS, THE SKIN IS GOING TO BE LOOSE AND IS NOT GOING TO BE NICE AND PLUMP NORMAL WEIGHT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT WITH THE SKIN.

>> I WOULD GO WITH BETTER NUTRITION AS WELL.

THE WHOLE THING GOES TOGETHER.

AND I KNOW IT'S EXPENSIVE TO EAT WELL AND IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME.

SO ONE SHOULD DO AS BEST AS ONE CAN.

>> SO TAKE CARE OF IT NOW BECAUSE IT WILL, A PENNY SAVED, RIGHT NOW.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT SKIN CANCER.

YOU KNOW WELL I FIRST MET YOU BECAUSE I WENT TO MY ANNUAL PHYSICAL WITH MY PRIMARY CARE DOC AND HE SAID, HEY, RICH, YOU GOT A SPOT OVER HERE.

IT WAS RIGHT HERE ON MY CHEEK.

AND IT LOOKS A LITTLE IFFY TO ME.

COULD BE SKIN CANCER.

SO-- AND WAS HARD TO GET AN APPOINTMENT QUICKLY WITH A DERMATOLOGIST.

HE SAID IT LOOKS IFFY SO I'M GOING TO SEND YOU RIGHT TO THE PLASTIC SURGEON.

HE SENT ME TO YOU.

AND YOU-- I WENT INTO YOUR OFFICE AND I REMEMBER YOU TOOK OUT THIS LOOKY THING, IT WAS VERY COOL.

WHAT IS THAT ONE CALLED.

>> EPISCOPE.

MAGNIFIER.

MICROSCOPE RIGHT ON THE SKIN.

>> COOL.

AND YOU LOOKED AT IT AND YOU SAID YEAH, IT LOOKS PRETTY IFFY.

SO YOU TOOK A BIOPSY AND A COUPLE WEEKS LATER I CALM BACK AND YOU PUT YOUR HAND ON MY WRIST AND YOU SAID NOW DON'T GET TOO SCARED, BUT IT IS CANCER.

MELANOMA.

SO THE GOOD NEWS IS IT'S STAGE 1 SO WE SHOULD TAKE IT OFF AND THERE SHOULDN'T BE ANY COMPLICATIONS.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE TO HAVE CHEMO OR RADIATION.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS AMAZED BY, TOO, YOU KNOW, I'M A VAIN TV STAR, RIGHT?

SO ONE OF MY FIRST QUESTIONS WAS, AFTER THE SURGERY, IS THIS GOING TO LEAVE A BIG SCAR?

AND YOU SAID IN SIX MONTHS, YOU WON'T EVEN NOTICE IT.

AND IT'S TRUE.

IN SIX MONTHS IT WAS LIKE IT WAS NEVER HAPPENED.

IT WAS AMAZING.

ALL THE PEOPLE I TOLD-- I TOLD ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE IN MY LIFE.

PEOPLE SAID DID YOU GET THE SURGERY?

AND YOU KNOW, IT WAS AMAZING.

SO TELL ME, HOW DID YOU MAKE THAT HAPPEN?

WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO-- BECAUSE IT WAS RIGHT NEXT TO MY EYE AND WE HAD TO TAKE OUT A CHUNK OF THE SKIN AROUND IT SO THE EDGE OF THE MARGIN I THINK YOU CALLED IT.

WHAT DID YOU DO?

>> I'M GLAD YOU ASKED THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE PATIENTS THAT COME TO ME, THEY SAID WELL, I CAME TO A PLASTIC SURGEON BECAUSE I DON'T WANT A SCAR.

I TELL THEM, WELL, WRONG.

>> YOU GOT TO HAVE A SCAR.

>> YOU ARE GOING HAVE A SCAR.

THE ONLY THINGS THAT DON'T HAVE A SCAR ARE LIZARDS.

[LAUGHTER] BUT YOU WILL HAVE A SCAR.

WE WILL MAKE THE BEST POSSIBLE SCAR AND PUT IT ON THE CREASE LINES THAT LOOK LIKE NORMAL LINES.

>> YEAH, I BET IF THEY TOOK A REALLY CLOSE LOOK OF MY FACE HERE, YOU GUYS, CAN YOU GET A CLOSE UP HERE.

YOU CAN SEE THE SCAR, IT LOOKS JUST LIKE ONE OF MY CREASE LINES SO-- YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN NOTICE IT.

I WOULD BE HARD PUT TO FIND OUT WHERE IT IS.

>> SO THAT'S-- WE TRY TO MINIMIZE THE APPEARANCE OF SCARS BY PLACING A STRATEGICALLY AND DOING THE NICEST POSSIBLE TECHNIQUE THAT WE CAN TO CLOSE THE DEFECTS.

>> SO THE MORAL OF THAT STORY WAS IT WAS STAGE 1.

RIGHT?

SO THE MORAL FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT A SPOT, FIRST OFF, GET IT CHECKED.

RIGHT?

>> IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO COME AND SAY HEY, THIS IS FINE THAN TO HAVE SOMEONE COME AND SAY I'VE HAD THIS FOR TWO YEARS AND... >> NOT A GOOD IDEA.

YOU DON'T WANT TO WAIT THAT LONG BECAUSE I REMEMBER READING A PIECE OF RESEARCH SHORTLY AFTER THE SURGERY THAT IF IT GETS TO STAGE 2 AND YOU WAIT FOR A WHILE AFTER, TO HAVE THE SURGERY BEFORE YOU-- IF IT'S STAGE 2, YOUR CHANCE OF DYING GOES UP LIKE 50% IN JUST A FEW WEEKS.

SO I WAS AMAZED.

YOU REALLY SHOULD GO FAST.

>> YOU REALLY SHOULD.

IT'S ALWAYS EASIER TO TAKE CARE OF THINGS WHEN THEY'RE FIRST STARTING OR WHEN THEY'RE SMALL BECAUSE THE LONGER YOU LEAVE THEM, THE BIGGER SCAR YOU ARE GOING TO END UP OR BIGGER DEFECT YOU WILL HAVE.

>> BECAUSE IF THE CANCER ACTUALLY KIND OF GROWS DOWN INTO YOUR SKIN AND THEN IT CAN COMMUNICATE THROUGH YOUR BLOOD VESSELS WITH THE REST OF YOUR BODY AND THEN... >> IT CAN GO ELSEWHERE.

>> AND YOU GO IT TUMORS ELSEWHERE SO YOU WANT TO GET IT RIGHT FROM THE TOP.

>> MELANOMA IS WORSE.

THE DEEPER FROM THE SURFACE TO THE DEEPER STRUCTURES, THE DEEPER IT IS, THE WORSE IT IS.

BUT A MELANOMA, THERE HAVE BEEN LEVELS THAT ARE MADE TO CLASSIFY IF FOUR OR FIVE IS THE WORST STAGE AND THOSE ARE LETHAL.

>> RIGHT.

>> SO WHEN YOU CUT ONE OUT, THE PATHOLOGIST DOES GIVE YOU ITS DEPTH BECAUSE THAT HAS A LOT OF IMPACT TO WHAT YOU NEED DO CLINICALLY FOR SOMEONE.

>> NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT SOMETHING-- YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT SOMETHING CALLED MOWS PROCEDURE, SO TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> LET'S LET HER TALK ABOUT THAT.

>> THIS IS YOUR SPECIALTY.

>> YEAH, SO MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS SURGERY ARE DERMATOLOGISTS THAT CAN BE PART OF OUR TRAINING.

AND BASICALLY, THIS IS A VERY TARGETED SKIN CANCER SURGERY FOR MOST TUMORS THAT ARE ON THE HEAD AND NECK AND THEN CERTAIN TUMORS THAT ARE ON THE BODY OR AREAS THAT ARE HARD TO CLOSE OR, DEPENDING ON THE AGGRESSIVENESS OF THE TUMOR.

BUT BASICALLY WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS, IT'S PROCESSED A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY THAN WHAT THE REGULAR PATH LAB DOES.

SO LET'S SAY THIS IS YOUR SKIN AND YOU HAVE THE TUMOR HERE AND WE CUT IT OUT.

RIGHT?

THE REGULAR LAB CUTS IT IN LITTLE BREAD SLICES AND PUTS RANDOM SLICES OF BREAD ON THE SLIDE.

THAT'S HOW I EXPLAIN IT.

WITH MOSE, WE CUT IT OUT BUT THEN WHAT THE TECHS DO, SO THIS IS THE TOP OF YOUR SKIN.

THEY FLIP IT THIS WAY AND THEY START CUTTING IT FROM THE BOTTOM SO YOU CAN SEE THE DEEP MARGIN AND YOU CAN SEE 100% OF THE SURROUNDING PERIPHERAL MARGIN.

SO THIS ALLOWS YOU TO TAKE SMALLER MARGINS WHEN YOU ARE CUTTING IT OUT, WHICH IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU HAVE FUNCTIONAL AREAS LIKE NEXT TO YOUR EYE, YOUR NOSE, YOUR HAND, VARIOUS OTHER BODY PARTS.

>> SO LESS DAMAGE TO THE SKIN... >> YOU CAN TAKE-- INSTEAD OF TAKING A HALF CENTIMETER OR CENTIMETER AROUND SOMETHING, YOU CAN DO IT WITH LIKE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE TUMOR IS.

AND THEN YOU WAIT.

SO YOU SIT AND WAIT.

IT'S PROCESSED WHILE YOU ARE WAITING.

YOU HAVE A BANDAGE ON.

THEN WE LOOK AT IT UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

AND IF IT'S NO CANCER, YOU GET EITHER SENT TO PLASTIC SURGERY OR WE CLOSE IT.

DEPENDING ON WHERE THE TUMORS ARE.

IF THERE IS MORE, THEN WE JUST GO TO THAT ONE PARTICULAR QUADRANT BECAUSE IT'S KIND OF CUT IN FOUR, AND YOU REPEAT THE PROCEDURE.

SO THE GOAL IS TO CLEAR THE CANCER.

BUT THE SECONDARY GOAL IS TO KEEP IT AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE SO YOU CAN HAVE FUNCTION AND COSMETICS THAT ARE ACCEPTABLE.

>> WE ARE JUST ABOUT TO GO TO OUR CLOSE HERE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS IS WHERE YOU GUYS WORK TOGETHER.

>> THIS IS WHERE WE ARE A TEAM.

>> YOU DO THE PLASTIC SURGERY.

>> NOT ONLY WOULD SAY IN AREAS WHERE ARE VERY SMALL OR CLOSE TO FUNCTIONAL PORTIONS LIKE EYELID AND NOSE, BUT SOMETIMES THE LESION IS NOT WELL DEFINED SO YOU CAN'T TELL WHERE IT STARTS HERE.

BUT THIS OTHER EDGE, I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT STOPS.

THAT'S IS WHEN I WOULD SAY...

I WOULD GO TO THE MOSE SURGERY AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AS I SAY TO MY PATIENTS, THEY DO THE DESTRUCTION, WE DO THE RECONSTRUCTION.

>> Dr. DESTRUCTION AND Dr. RECONSTRUCTION.

THAT'S QUITE A NAME.

THAT'S ABOUT ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK OUR GUESTS DR. JOYCE FARAH, DERMATOLOGIST WITH FARAH DERMATOLOGY AND COSMETICS AND DR. ENRIQUE ARMENTA, PLASTIC SURGEON WITH SYRACUSE PLASTIC SURGERY.

FINALLY, WE HAVE A TRADITION HERE - CALLED 'LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE.'

AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN LEAVE YOU WITH A GOOD CHUCKLE TODAY!

SO TEAM, WHAT DID THE ESTATE LAWYER ASK THE DERMATOLOGIST?

WHO'S YOUR NEXT OF SKIN?

[LAUGHTER] >> CAN I USE THAT?

>> YOU MAY USE THAT.

TO HEAR OUR NEW COMPANION COMMUNITY FM RADIO SHOW, CHECK UP FROM THE NECK UP, VISIT WCNY.ORG/COMMUNITYFM.

AND FOR ONLINE EXTRAS, VISIT WCNY.ORG/CYCLEOFHEALTH FOR 'CYCLE OF HEALTH,' I'M PSYCHOLOGIST DR. RICH O'NEILL.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR HAT AND SUNBLOCK!!!.

AND YOUR DRIVING GLOVES BECAUSE PEOPLE FORGET YOU GET A LOT OF SUN WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>> EFFECTS WEEK ON "CYCLE OF HEALTH..." >> TONIGHT'S TOPIC, MOSQUITO-BORN ILLNESS.

TONIGHT TWO UPSTATE DOCS DESCRIBE THEIR BLOODY GOOD VIRAL RESEARCH.

THE COUNTY HEALTH COMMISSIONER TALKS TRAP AND ZAP AND PROTECTING OURSELVES AT HOME AND ABROAD.

STOP, YEAH, GOT HER.