Find Your Specialty 813-433-2277

Dr. Apple Bodemer on Optimizing Skin Health

Dr. Apple BodemerAs a practicing dermatologist, I would argue that the skin, the largest organ of the human body, is the most important. It is our immune system’s first line of defense, blocking microbes, viruses, bacteria, and fungus from entering our system and causing problems. As our interface with the world, the skin is supplied with an abundance of nerve endings which contributes to how we experience our environment.

When patients come to see me for help with skin conditions or advice on skin health, I take an approach that’s different from conventional dermatology. As an example, I often begin by discussing how diet and lifestyle affect the skin and inflammatory skin conditions. Depending on patient preferences—whether a person wants faster results or wants to avoid systemic medications, for instance—I can offer specific options that fit each individual’s needs. Through this integrative medicine approach, I am able to offer patients a broader palette of options.

There are a number of recommendations that I commonly offer people with chronic inflammatory skin conditions. I often suggest that patients eliminate dairy from their diet, especially patients with blemished-prone skin and patients prone to cysts. Dairy products tend to exacerbate these conditions and, because they impact hormone levels, they may also play a role in some types of hair loss.

I also talk to my patients about the importance of sleep in maintaining good skin health.  Sleep is an under-recognized tool when it comes to managing overall health, not just skin health. When we don’t sleep properly, our stress hormones escalate, wreaking havoc on sex hormones levels as well.  Both have negative effects on our skin and can impair proper skin barrier function.

The most common condition I see is skin cancer, so UV protection is one of my main topics of discussion. I tell patients that in order to minimize risks for skin cancer, proper UV protection is a must. But diet also plays a role.  I recommend a diet high in fruits and vegetables. Studies show that people with diets rich in fruits and vegetables have less risk for both melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers.

As for UV protection, I tell patients that applying sunscreen should be their backup plan, not their primary form of UV protection. It is important to avoid the strong midday sun when possible and to seek shade as much as you can when outdoors—especially during peak hours.

One underutilized form of protection I recommend is UV protective clothing. Look for the symbol that says UPF 50.  This means that that the piece of clothing will only allow 1/50th of the UV radiation it is exposed to, even when wet. All clothing protects us, but regular fabric loses a measure of UV protection when wet. While lighter colors and looser-weave fabrics generally don’t provide as much protection as darker colors and heavier fabrics, the UV protective clothing comes in light and cool fabrics that maintain UV protection even when wet.

Hats, gloves, and sleeves are also among my list of recommendations. Gloves and sleeves are particularly useful for people who spend a lot of time gardening, golfing or any outdoor sport. Hats are great if they provide good skin coverage. A 3-inch hat brim will cover three-quarters of your face, and a 4-inch brim will cover your entire face. Baseball caps may look cool and shade the eyes but don’t offer much protection. Plus, they leave the delicate skin of the neck and ears exposed.

When it comes to sunscreen, people usually don’t apply enough of it. A palmful should cover a body in a bathing suit—a palmful because that’s the amount used in studies that determine a product’s SPF (sun protection factor). Sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours and after getting wet. And, given that sunburns cause DNA damage that contributes to skin cancer, you should avoid getting burnt, no matter what your risk factors are.

Apple Bodemer, MD,  is an associate professor in the dermatology department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM), which is governed by the American Board of Physician Specialties® (ABPS).

Save the Date
House of Delegates & Annual Scientific Meeting
Innovation & Overcoming Challenges
June 10-15, 2022
Plan Your Visit. Meeting Information
Patient Care Is Our Priority

Medical organizations throughout North America understand that our rigorous certification standards prove that ABPS Diplomates are capable of delivering the best patient care possible.

With declining access for maternity care amid rising maternal mortality, ABPS and their Board Certification in Family Medicine Obstetrics has been essential for me and many of my colleagues in getting privileges and thereby creating local access for mothers and their children.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
John B. Waits, MD
Family Medicine Obstetrics
Board certification through the American Board of Physician Specialties has served to substantiate my interest and additional training in several fields of medicine including Internal Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Administrative Medicine. As a result, I have been able to serve my community in clinical, disaster response, and administrative medicine roles. Through the ABPS, I have become recognized as a leader in my various fields of interest.

Spencer Price MD, MPH, MBA
Administrative Medicine
In this era, when continuous updated medical knowledge means so much to you, when quality of emergency care matters most to you ,when you need to excel in your medical career to continue providing exceptional service to your critically ill patients, please consider board certification with the Boad of Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). Where your knowledge & expertise translates to credentialing & certification with wider approval & recognition every day at many fronts. We Welcome you to join our team for a brighter future of our emergency healthcare where dedication to profession relies not solely on clinical practice but also on sound academic certification.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashraf A. Gerges, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
Board certification in Orthopedic Surgery through the American Board of Physician Specialties validated my training and surgical experience through a process that was both rigorous and respectful of real-world practice. ABPS recognizes clinical competence, not just credentials, and that sets it apart.

Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Ashish Anand, MD, FAASOS
Orthopedic Surgery
The American Board of Physician Specialties is a forward- thinking organization that focuses on where Medicine is going, not just where it has been. Traditional Certification Boards like Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, and Dermatology are represented as are Integrative Medicine, Disaster Medicine, and Family Medicine-Obstetrics. Physicians appreciate the ability to showcase their skills and knowledge through Board Certification, and this organization allows excellent physicians the ability to bring their skills to patients. The dedication and commitment of this organization and its volunteers will ensure ongoing distinction and commitment for decades to come.

Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD
Jeffrey B. Stricker, DO, MBA, FAASD
Dermatology
Serving as a member on the American board of Integrative Medicine (ABOIM) for many years and now serving as a Member at Large of the American Board of Physician Specialties (ABPS) has been an enriching and rewarding experience. The board’s commitment to excellence, integrity, and positive impact is truly inspiring. I am grateful to collaborate with such a dedicated and visionary group, and I am proud of the meaningful progress we continue to achieve together.

Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
Arti Prasad, MD, FACP
Integrative Medicine
There are many ways board certification advances a physician career. ABPS Board examination verifies your accuracy, precision, and reflects your mastery of your residency training verifying your expertise. ABPS Board certification demonstrates your level of expertise beyond your practice experience, primary education degrees, and training which are necessary for insurance reimbursement and practice privilege requirements. Attaining your ABPS Board Certification will clarify your purpose, secure your practice growth, and expand into leadership positions. Board certification can serve as an indication of a physician’s commitment to medicine, beyond the minimal standards and competency of training, their measurement to quality of care, and attaining an award for excellence.

Chris Kunis MD
Internal Medicine
When the American Board of Physician Specialties offered to host the American Board of Integrative Medicine, ABPS became a landmark organization working to move medicine into the twenty first century. Certifying physicians who have completed rigorous academic training in Integrative Medicine ensures that the field of Integrative Medicine will continue to develop academically, clinically, and professionally. The leadership of ABPS continues to impress me - they are diligent in constantly innovating to provide certifications for physicians who want to advance their careers and their areas of expertise. I am honored to be a part of this organization.

Ann Marie Chiasson, MD
Integrative Medicine
On October 18, 2007, President George W. Bush released Homeland Security Presidential Directive 21 (HSPD-21), calling on our nation, among other initiatives, to “collectively support and facilitate the establishment of a discipline of disaster health”. It is a great testament to the wisdom and foresight of the American Board of Physician Specialties that it immediately set to work and created, within the short span of only one year, an educational blueprint and set of certification examinations, both written and oral, for a new subspecialty of disaster medicine—and it is why I chose to be part this vital initiative and this wonderful organization. This is but one of the many innovative programs initiated by the American Board of Physician Specialties over the years, and why I am proud to support its work on behalf of our nation’s public health.

Art Cooper, MD
Disaster Medicine
Far too often, medicine is led by less than 5% of non-practicing physicians taking away and replacing the voice of the 95% of physicians practicing and placing patient safety and care first on the front lines every day. The American Board of Physician Specialties has raised the standards in physician board certification not only in the quality of their boards of certification, but in hearing and allowing for the voice of those active physicians caring directly for patients. Having been a part of the ABPS over the last 28 years has allowed me to grow as a woman leader in a field often wrought with challenges. It helped me and others raise the bar of the standards of care in my specialty, Emergency Medicine, through their Board Certification in Emergency Medicine (BCEM). ABPS also helped raise the standards of care for 21st century medicine through their certifications in other specialties, particularly in Integrative Medicine & Disaster Medicine. Having physician voices heard matters to medicine and is essential in the betterment of patient safety and care.

Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Sarah E. Gilbert, MD, FAAEP
Emergency Medicine
Meet Our Staff Read All Reviews
Boards
Careers
Login
Contact