Gov. Baker Makes Half-Baked Statement About Dermatology Procedures

I don’t pay any attention to our governor’s skin, but a lot of people were, and they noticed some blemishes, blotches, and bandages on his face. It turns out that Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker had been to the dermatologist. He ultimately made an announcement that went part-way towards being a public service announcement about skin care. But he didn’t go far enough.

The announcement was vague

“Governor Baker recently underwent routine dermatology procedures which resulted in no serious issues,” communications director Sarah Finlaw wrote in a statement, WWLP.com and others reported. “He encourages all Massachusetts residents to consult their primary care physician about healthy skin care,” the statement continued.

His skin consumed the news cycle

Before Gov. Baker said that he had been to the dermatologist, onlookers seemed more concerned about his skin than about the substance of the day’s news, which included approval of a mail-in voting extension through the next round of local elections. “Adhesive bandages were affixed to Baker’s face at a Monday press availability that followed his meeting with House Speaker Ron Mariano and Senate President Karen Spilka, while the blotches were visible during a Wednesday event in Gloucester streamed live online,” WWLP reported.

"Especially in the summer"...

According to the local CBS station, “The treatment was said to be a success and the governor said he encourages all residents to consult their doctors when it comes to healthy skin care, especially in the summer.”

The speculation was an opportunity for education

A friend shared this news on Facebook. “I was wondering about the spots on our governor’s face recently. Thank heavens it is nothing serious,” he said. “But what was it?” I wondered. What did he have done? He could have educated people about the type of procedure he had done and the reason for it. For example, maybe he got cryosurgery, which I refer to as being zapped. If he had pre-cancerous spots that were zapped (frozen), he could have explained this was a way to treat certain potentially cancerous spots. He could have said that though briefly uncomfortable, it is nothing horrendous.

It didn't need to be too personal

We didn’t need all his appointment details, but maybe he could have said that he noticed unusual spots and was happy that the treatment stopped them from progressing. This might have caused constituents to look more closely at their own skin and follow suit. Or maybe he had biopsies. If he had bandages, he probably did have biopsies. If they come back positive for skin cancer, he would have laid the groundwork for when he tells Bay Staters.

One comment missed the mark

And as for his comment about healthy skin care “especially in the summer,” well… He’s not a man of many words. But he could have said he encouraged healthy skin care all year round, with extra vigilance in the summer, when more people are outside. Because healthy skin care isn’t especially for the summer.

Proper sun protection isn't just for the summer

Even better, instead of “extra vigilance in the summer,” he could have suggested extra vigilance in the warmer months. (This leaves out skiers, who need extra vigilance in the colder months, but I’m sticking with my summery theme.) The sun can be pretty strong in the spring and the fall when you need a special kind of vigilance. Because you might think, “It’s only spring (or fall)” and fail to take the sun seriously. And those are times when people like me, who love doing outdoor activities, can let their guard down. In the spring, after being cooped up for the winter, you might say, “Woo-hoo, time for tennis or running (or biking or walking” and rush out, or just sit out, without putting sunscreen on.

A missed opportunity

All in all, I think an opportunity was missed here. Gov. Baker could've used this opportunity to educate and advocate for the public about protecting yourself from the sun, but he missed the mark.

Do you think public figures should speak out about public health issues that involve them?