Peter Graylin was enjoying a relaxing weekend with family when his brother-in-law noticed something unusual on his leg. “We were in the garden having a drink. He looked down at my calf and pointed to a spot there, and said, ‘You know, you better get that checked out,’” Graylin recalls.

His brother-in-law urged him to see a dermatologist, but Graylin “didn’t really think anything about it.” 

The next day, Graylin went to Colgate-Palmolive’s office in New York City, where he serves as EVP & Deputy Chief Legal Officer of Colgate-Palmolive’s international division. It happened to be Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and stationed outside the office was the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Destination Healthy Skin RV, which is sponsored by EltaMD, a Colgate-Palmolive brand that is the #1 dermatologist-recommended professional sunscreen brand. 

Graylin says, “I thought, ‘This is good luck, isn't it?’” 

Within a few moments of examining the spot on his leg, Dr. Jane Yoo, one of the volunteer dermatologists on hand, recognized signs of a melanoma and suggested Graylin come to her office for a biopsy the next morning. The visual cues to look for in an unusual skin spot are often summed up by the acronym ABCDE: asymmetry, border (edges that are irregular or blurred), color (dark and uneven shades), diameter (roughly bigger than a pencil eraser), and evolution (if it changes over time). 

The biopsy proved that Dr. Yoo’s hunch was correct: The spot on Graylin’s calf was stage 0 melanoma, which is highly treatable when detected early. 

Graylin was headed on a two-week safari in Zimbabwe a few days later. Once he returned, Yoo removed the melanoma and a patch of surrounding skin to prevent the cancer from spreading. “I have to say it looked like I had a bloody dog bite,” Graylin says, “but she played it safe and got it all out.” That was in 2022. Now, Graylin gets checked every six months, since he’s at increased risk of developing more cancer, and he’s conscientious about covering up and wearing sunscreen.  

“I'd grown up and lived in a dangerous environment from a UV perspective…and you need to look after yourself,” Graylin says. “I’m a much better sunscreen user now. I’m not perfect, but I’m a lot better than I was."

About Destination Healthy Skin

Destination Healthy Skin is a free, mobile skin cancer screening program run by the Skin Cancer Foundation and sponsored by EltaMD, a Colgate-Palmolive brand. The program travels to 40 U.S. cities annually, offering 10-minute visual skin exams conducted by volunteer dermatologists at no cost to participants. Since launching in 2008, the program has completed more than 34,000 screenings and identified more than 14,000 suspected pre-cancers and cancers. Screenings are open to everyone — no appointment or insurance required

How Accessible Screenings Save Lives

Graylin’s story is a powerful testament to the impact of mobile units like Destination Healthy Skin. Sunscreen samples, as well as written educational materials assembled by EltaMD, are distributed to participants, educating people about risk factors and best practices for skin cancer prevention. “When it's someone from the Colgate-Palmolive family, it just makes it that much more real,” says Madhu McArdle, Director, Brand Marketing, EltaMD. “We want employees to have that visibility and access to sun protection,” McArdle says. 

A visit with Destination Healthy Skin can take as little as 10 minutes. Participants are shown into one of two exam rooms on board, where they fill out a brief form about their skin, change into a robe and receive a visual exam from a volunteer dermatologist, who either gives an all-clear or recommends a follow-up at their local office. 

“We hear a lot of stories like Peter’s, where dermatologists will say, ‘I'm going to follow up with this participant,’” says Becky Kamowitz, Executive Director of the Skin Cancer Foundation. Though the program doesn’t collect data on health insurance coverage, Kamowitz says that anecdotally, many people who come for free screenings are uninsured, and dermatologists work with individual patients on payment. 

“We have people who are counting on us, which is really special. We will often drive our RV to an event location and already have people there waiting who follow our schedule,” Kamowitz says, adding that Destination Healthy Skin aims to reach a broad range of participants, stopping in urban as well as rural areas, and places where sun-exposure is high, like resort towns and beaches. “We also have people who just happen to be walking by and see the RV and decide, ‘Hey, maybe I should get a screening.’ Overall, it's a really incredible public service,” Kamowitz says.

Part of what makes programs like Destination Healthy Skin so impactful is that while skin cancer is very prevalent, early detection and education about sun prevention can lead to positive outcomes and save lives. 

“Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., but it's highly preventable with a daily sun-protection strategy,” Kamowitz says. “That includes seeking shade between the sun's peak hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., covering up with clothing, broad-brimmed hats, and UV blocking sunglasses, and using sunscreen every day — applying it to all exposed areas, making sure you use enough sunscreen, and reapplying it often, especially after swimming or sweating.”

Investing in Education and Prevention 

Initiatives like Destination Healthy Skin are right in line with the core values of EltaMD, which also sponsors the Sun Bus, from the Colorado Melanoma Foundation, and partners with the Melanoma Research Foundation, which aims to develop a cure. “Our brand mission at EltaMD is we want everybody to live freely under the sun,” McArdle says. “We feel passionate about building awareness around the risks for skin cancer, as well as how you can prevent it. And, of course, a big part of prevention is sunscreen,” McArdle adds. 

Education about skin cancer risk and the importance of protection remains key to EltaMD’s mission. “Our approach has always been to have the persona of a passionate but approachable expert,” McArdle says. “We don't want to fearmonger. Skin cancer can be a scary topic, but on the flip side, not enough people think it will happen to them or that it can be prevented.”

Graylin admits he was one of them. “I was a classic example of somebody who said ‘Nah, I’ve been checked enough…it will never happen to me — and then blow me down, it did,’” Graylin says. “The path of these things can be aggressive, and the results can be fatal. I'm appreciative of my luck. And I think I’d be foolish not to recognize that and also not to tell others about it.” 

As with any health concern, staying informed and consulting a doctor are the best ways forward. “‘Thank you for giving me peace of mind’ — that is a phrase that we see over and over on the comment cards,” Kamowitz says of Destination Healthy Skin. People leave their free screenings either knowing they don’t need to worry or with plans for a follow-up in hand. Kamowitz adds, “I think it's really powerful that we are able to provide that peace of mind to so many people.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find a free skin cancer screening near me? EltaMD sponsors the Skin Cancer Foundation’s Destination Healthy Skin mobile screening program, which visits 40 U.S. cities each year. Visit the Skin Cancer Foundation website to find upcoming tour dates and locations near you. No appointment or insurance is required.

What happens during a free skin cancer screening? Screenings through Destination Healthy Skin take approximately 10 minutes. Participants are seen in a private exam room inside the mobile RV, complete a brief health form, change into a robe, and receive a visual full-body exam from a volunteer dermatologist. The dermatologist will either give an all-clear or recommend a follow-up visit.

What sunscreen do dermatologists recommend for daily use? Dermatologists broadly recommend a broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher sunscreen applied daily to all exposed skin — and reapplied every two hours, or after swimming or sweating. EltaMD sunscreens are formulated with dermatologists and recommended by skin care professionals for daily protection, including for sensitive and acne-prone skin.

What are the warning signs of skin cancer to watch for? Dermatologists use the ABCDE method to identify suspicious spots: Asymmetry, irregular Borders, uneven Color, Diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and Evolution (any change over time). If a spot on your skin checks any of these boxes, see a dermatologist promptly.