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NYU Langone dermatologist Nicole Golbari examines Mari-Angeli Lugo on Tuesday...

NYU Langone dermatologist Nicole Golbari examines Mari-Angeli Lugo on Tuesday in Garden City.  Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp

As a student in medical school, Nicole Golbari was drawn to the specialty of skin cancer because it was a disease she and her patients could see as they were preventing — or battling — together.

What Golbari didn’t know was how much in common she would have with many of them.

During the second year of her dermatology residency, Golbari found herself in the patient’s chair when a mole on her arm developed into melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer that can spread throughout the body if not caught early. A colleague had urged her to get a biopsy.

"It was pretty shocking," said Golbari, 33, a dermatologic surgeon at NYU Langone Health who treats patients at its Garden City center. "I had this spot on my arm for as long as I could remember. ... I thought at worst it would come back as a bad mole."

WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND

  • Nicole Golbari, a dermatologic surgeon in Garden City, has a special connection with her patients because she was diagnosed with melanoma several years ago.

  • Golbari urges her patients to pay attention to any change in moles or other marks on their skin, using a phone camera to keep track.

  • She said there is no safe tan so people should wear sunscreen of at least SPF 30 and ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) clothes when in the sun or at the beach.

Instead, she had a "shark bite"-sized piece of skin removed from her upper arm and lymph nodes tested to make sure the cancer had not spread.

Golbari’s experience with melanoma has given her distinct insights as she treats her patients, educates them about sun exposure and shatters some long-held myths about skin cancer.

"I often talk about my own experience with my patients," she said. "When I discuss treatment options or the nuances of different surgical procedures, it's not just about the science; it's also about connecting on a human level. I share a silent understanding of the fear and uncertainty they might be feeling."

Cellphone photos of moles

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are several types, but melanoma is the most dangerous because of its ability to spread.

It is estimated there will be 104,960 new cases of melanoma in the United States in 2025 and 8,430 deaths, according to the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute.

Golbari said too many people have the misconception that melanoma is a disease that only affects older white men.

"People with darker skin types or people that aren't the classic patient with melanoma skin cancers are often diagnosed later," she said. "My family comes from the Middle East ... people who rarely burn, like myself, can also develop melanoma and that’s really important" to know.

Melanoma can also appear under the feet, inside the mouth, on the nails and even in the eye.

While her mole did not appear to have changed over the years, a closer look under a dermascope showed some variations, Golbari said.

She advises her patients to be mindful of any changes on their skin or a spot that looks different from anything else on their body. Take photos with a cellphone to track these unusual moles or other marks and see if they change over time.

Reapplying sunscreen more important than SPF

"We know that early exposure to sun really impacts how high-risk we are going to be later in life," Golbari said.

Sunscreen is not recommended for infants, Golbari said, noting she does everything to keep her 8-month-old son out of the sun completely. Toddlers and older children should wear ultraviolet protection factor (UPF)  clothing as well as sunscreen.

NYU Langone dermatologist Nicole Golbari sees a lot of cancer...

NYU Langone dermatologist Nicole Golbari sees a lot of cancer where people forget to apply sunscreen, like the backs of hands, necks and ears. Credit: Newsday/Howard Schnapp

She recommends sunscreen sticks for kids and adults who are bothered by applying sunscreen with their hands, noting "it provides a nice thick layer, particularly on the face."

"The backs of the hands, your ears and behind the neck are where I see cancer a lot," she said. "It’s because people forget to put sunscreen or protect themselves in those areas."

Reapplying sunscreen is more important than the SPF, though it should be at least 30, Golbari said.

"The difference between SPF30 and SPF50 and SPF100 is negligible ... you're talking about a 1% difference in coverage," Golbari said.

'No safe tan'

While older adults in the United States appear to be heeding the call to cover up at the beach, younger women and teens are still using oils and other methods in search of that rich tan.

Almost 70% of adults 18 or older said they protect themselves from the sun, according the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

Overall, about 34% of U.S. adults said they intentionally tan outdoors with the majority being women and 45% being adults under the age of 25. In 2021, 64.4% of students in grades 9-12 were sunburned over the past year.

"I understand that looking tan is nice," she said. "But there’s a risk. There is no safe tan."

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