Is Your Skin Healthy?
When Jacqueline Mills noticed a new mole on her face, she trusted her instincts—even after her concerns were initially dismissed. Her persistence led to an early melanoma diagnosis and became a powerful reminder of how speaking up and seeking a second opinion can make all the difference.
In this episode of Road to Resilience, Jacqueline shares her story; she is followed by the Mount Sinai dermatologist who discovered her melanoma, Dr. Jesse Lewin, who expands the conversation to what everyone should know about skin health.
Together, they discuss the warning signs of skin cancer, the ABCDEs of melanoma, smart sun protection, advances in early detection and imaging technology, and why the future of dermatologic care has never been brighter.
Whether you're heading to the beach or simply taking a closer look in the mirror, this conversation will leave you better equipped to protect your skin—and yourself.
Stephen Calabria: [00:00:00] From the Mount Sinai Health System in New York City, this is Road to Resilience, a podcast about facing adversity. I'm your host, Stephen Calabria, Mount Sinai's Director of Podcasting.
Every day our skin tells a story, but are we paying attention? On this episode we explore why caring for your skin is about much more than appearance. It's about prevention, protection, and recognizing when something isn't right.
We begin with the story of Jackie Mills, a New Yorker who sought answers after noticing a suspicious mole on her face and who became a model of trusting your instincts and advocating for your own health.
Then we're joined by dermatologist Dr. Jesse Lewin, who treated Jackie, and who discusses what her experience teaches all of us.
From protecting our skin and recognizing the warning signs of skin cancer to the importance of early detection, second opinions, and the remarkable advances transforming dermatologic care.
We also discussed the ABCDEs that dermatologists recommend when you self-evaluate your skin: [00:01:00] asymmetry, border, color, diameter, and evolution we're honored to welcome Jackie Mills and Dr. Jesse Lewin to the show.
Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Jackie Mills: Sure. I am 36 years old, a native New Yorker. I currently live on the Upper East Side, and I am a fourth grade teacher at a public school, also on the Upper East Side.
Stephen Calabria: And so you're here today because you had a really interesting and rather terrifying experience that all started with a routine checkup. Can you tell us about it?
Jackie Mills: Absolutely. So this started when I was around 32. I had noticed a new spot on my face. I do have melanoma history in the family, so I was not unknown to these types of things. But I was concerned 'cause this spot was new. So I had my routine checkup.
I was being seen by a dermatologist outside of the Mount Sinai network, and I said, "I'm concerned about this." Originally, I was dismissed. The dermatologist seeing me did not want to biopsy it, but I pushed [00:02:00] and I advocated.