In recognition of National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, free, walk-in screenings will be available to veterans and residents of Orange County from 8 a.m. to noon, Alta Dermatology reports

Laguna Niguel, CA -- (SBWire) -- 04/23/2015 --Alta Dermatology will offer free skin cancer screenings for veterans and Orange County residents on Saturday, May 16. With May being National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, Alta Dermatology founder and board-certified dermatologist Dr. Victoria Wang hopes that the free skin cancer screenings will be of great value to those who attend and contribute to improved public awareness of the disease and how to stay safe from it. No appointments are necessary for the free cancer screenings, which will be offered at the Alta Dermatology clinic at 27882 Forbes Rd, Suite 201, from 8 a.m. to noon.

"Skin cancer rates continue to climb, and none are more vulnerable than our military veterans," Dr. Victoria Wang noted, "We hope that a great many of these brave, dedicated people and others will take advantage of our free screenings on May 16. We're happy to be able to give something back to our community and proud to participate in this way in National Skin Cancer Awareness Month."

Despite the fact that the occurrence of many forms of cancer has been steadily declining, skin cancer is more common than ever before. Incidence rates for some forms of non-melanoma skin cancer, in fact, nearly doubled over a preceding fifteen-year span, according to a 2010 study in the Archives of Dermatology journal. That leaves around 5 million people being treated for various forms of the disease in the average year, as a recent study in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine reported.

Even with the population at large being so vulnerable to skin cancer, veterans of the armed forces are often even more so, especially among those who have served overseas in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries where intense sun is the norm. A study of patients seeking care through the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs found that well over half reported experiencing serious sunburn while deployed, with nearly a third detecting warning signs of skin cancer like changes in the size or shape of a mole.

Despite this, relatively few veterans report receiving skin cancer screenings from physicians, whether during their deployments or thereafter. With access to sunscreen and other protective measures while deployed often being limited, that leaves millions of Americans at heightened risk for a disease that is often deadly, especially when not detected early.

As Orange County's leading skin care clinic and an engaged part of the Laguna Niguel community and beyond, Alta Dermatology is proud to be able to offer free skin cancer screenings to veterans and residents of Orange County on Saturday, May 16. Regular, annual screenings are among the best ways of all of minimizing the dangers that skin cancer can pose, and are therefore especially important for veterans who might be at increased risk of the disease.

With an impressive record of training, experience, and research accomplishment, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Victoria Wang offers skin examinations and a whole range of other skin care services at Alta Dermatology. Dr. Wang regularly helps patients with everything from troubling cosmetic issues like eczema and wrinkling to the potentially life-saving identification and treatment of skin cancer and other acute dangers. Alta Dermatology's free skin cancer screenings for veterans and others will be available at the clinic from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 16, and no appointments are necessary.

About Alta Dermatology
Providing the best in medical and cosmetic skin care services in a warm, comfortable setting, Alta Dermatology is led by Dr. Victoria Wang, a board-certified dermatologist and distinguished graduate of Northwestern and the University of California, San Diego.