Surgery: Day 3

In lecture today from 7:30a-6:30p, but it wasn't so bad as the lectures were interesting and kept my attention well.

A few quotes from today:
"There are 2 instances where it is not indicated to give a rectal exam: If you don't have a finger, and if the patient doesn't have a rectum. Either put your finger up there, or you'll put your foot in there!"
"Calcitonin is like a white basketball player; it looks good, but it doesn't do a damn thing."
"You will have plenty of time to discover new things, but not in the breast, son!" (in reference to determining the type of nipple discharge)

Today's Clinical Pearl: 10% of people travelling from the US to the UK (or from the UK to the US) will get a DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). That's 1 in 10 people. Next time you take a trip across the sea, remember to get up and exercise a few times during the flight to keep the blood from pooling in your legs and possible clotting. For many people, the DVT will be cleared by their own t-PA and fibrinogen, but for a few unlucky ones, the DVT is not cleared, and a Pulmonary Embolism can prove to be deadly. So, if you are going to be crammed in a seat for 8 hours (long flights, long drives, long lectures), be sure to move those legs several times to keep your blood flowing properly and to decrease your chance of forming a clot!


Since it's that time of the year when we all love to be a gorgeous sun-kissed tan color, I thought it might be helpful to explain a few things about the sun and our skin! As a historical background, up until the 1920s, it was considered taboo and quite "working-class" to have any color on one's skin. This all changed when Coco Chanel  accidentally got sun-burned while visiting the French Riveria, and the fashion-forward Parisians fell in love with the look and haven't looked back since. Since this revolution in culturally-defined "beauty", the incidence of skin cancer has been consistently rising.

You might be aware of the different types of ultraviolet radiation - UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVA comes from the sun and it is the main form of UV light in tanning beds. UVA causes permanent damage to the elastic tissue in our skin.UVB is moderately carcinogenic, and comes from the sun and is found in tanning beds. UVC is highly carcinogenic, but thankfully the ozone layer filters this out. UVA and UVB differ in the way they tan our skin as well. UVA provides nearly immediate tanning, but the pigment in our skin is short-lived. This is what tanning beds primarily use. UVB takes 48 hours for tanning to occur, but the pigmentation lasts longer.So you know how you can always tell when someone has been to the tanning beds versus a nice beach vacation by the orange-tint? Well that's the UVA doing its job. And the late effect? Permanent damage to the elastic tissue in our skin, something we can't get back, causing that "leather skin" effect that old ladies sometimes have. So...true or false? Getting a "base tan" from a tanning bed prior to going on a beach holiday will protect your skin from burning while on the beach...True or False? Well, its False. Since a tanning salon provides a tan via UVA radiation, it does not provide protection against the sun's tanning UVB rays.

Most of the moles and freckles that we have as adults came as a result of sun exposure as a child. It is so important to apply sunscreen to children, it is something they will appreciate and thank you for later in life.

So, here are a few healthy tips for keeping a gorgeous complexion: don't go to a tanning salon unless you want to have your face match your leather handbag when you are 40 years old, avoid sunburns especially prior to the age of 21, and wear that sunscreen every day. Get a broad-spectrum sunblock (UVA and UVB protection), put it on 20-30 minutes prior to sun exposure, and reapply every time you dry off. Check your moles for any changes often (it is suggested to have a look at your moles while you do your monthly breast exam). I have my doctor look at my larger moles yearly, just to keep on the safe side of things.

If you have any questions or concerns about skin cancer or a suspicious mole (remember the ABCDE's: Asymmetry, irregular Borders, multi-Colored, large Diameter (larger than a pencil's eraser), and Elevation), please speak with your family physician or GP. It is always best to err on the side of caution!!