The Real Skinny on a Vivid Way to Scope Out Questionable Moles or Skin Bumps

BOSTON, Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Humans need the sun. People might complain about sunburn, age spots or leathery skin, but they need the sun's rays. The warmth and glow of the sun significantly improves mood and makes for great vacation weather, but most importantly it supplies vitamin D—necessary for bone growth, calcium production and immune system strength. As with all good things in life, however, sun exposure needs to be moderated. Slathering on sunscreen, even with an SPF of 50 or more, is not enough. It's no secret that extended sun exposure, while enjoyable, can lead to skin cancer.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer over the course of their lifetime. Although sun exposure and other environmental factors can cause skin cancer, a family history of fair and freckled skin can also be a risk factor.

So what can be done? People are not going to cover up every bit of skin and stay inside all day. Rather, they need to practice responsible behaviors with regard to the sun. Most importantly, though, they need to self-monitor their skin by keeping track of moles, watching to see if they change color, size or shape.

The next and perhaps most important step is to report any visible changes to one's doctor. It's never a good idea to play the waiting game.

One reason people are hesitant to go to a doctor is because biopsies are often painful and invasive, and can leave unwanted scarring.

Enter VivaScope^®, a cellular imaging device designed by Caliber Imaging & Diagnostics.

VivaScope can take pictures of an entire lesion layer by layer, and can immediately rule out or diagnose most skin diseases and disorders. Since there is no cutting involved, there is also no possibility of infection or scarring. Obtaining an image takes just a few minutes so the doctor can make a determination at the bedside, or the image can be transferred within minutes through the company's VivaNet^® system, so that a pathologist can diagnose it remotely.

For more information on VivaScope, visit www.caliberid.com, who paid for the writing and dissemination of this release.

Contact: Laura Radocaj, Dian Griesel Int'l., 212.825.3210

SOURCE Caliber Imaging & Diagnostics