Things You Need To Know About Skin Cancer Examination

By Author: Dr Ono Alex-Ohunyon
Total Articles: 10
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Skin examinations incorporate the use of dermoscopy, a hand held skin magnification instrument, which has been proven to increase diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for skin cancer in Bowral. The use of digital photography for mole monitoring, as well as total body photography (mole mapping) is used when required to aid diagnosis of melanoma, in line with current best medical practice.

Before Your Exam

It’s a good idea to look over your skin yourself before your appointment so you can point out anything that seems odd. You’ll want to note any moles or growths that:

- Itch

- Are new

- Bleed

- Have changed over time

Skin Cancer - Screening

During a skin cancer screening, your doctor will check for all the possible signs of skin cancer:

- Evolving: Changes over time

- Diameter: Larger than 1/4 inch

- Colour: Different shades of tan, brown, or black

- ...
... Border irregularity: Ragged or blurred edges

- Asymmetry: Not the same shape on both sides

Your doctor will also check for actinic keratosis, skin changes caused by sun which may turn into cancer without proper treatment.

Skin Cancer - Full Body Examination

Usually, the Bowral medical imaging may take 10 minutes. If your doctor finds any unusual moles, it may take more time to examine. You need to wear a medical exam gown during the screening process. Your doctor may enquire you about any mole that concerns you. They will then look into your body from your face to legs including the less-visible places such as toes, scalp and soles of your feet to look for any signs.

A Mole Biopsy

You can find only the moles by examining visually. But you cannot find it whether it is a cancer or not. You can know whether it is a cancer or not by diagnosing the condition with the help of a test called biopsy. In case, if your Bowral doctors find it as an issue, then they will give you a shot of numbing medicine, then scrape off as much of the mole as possible. During that time, you should feel only the pressure or tugging and not the pain. The doctor will send your mole sample to the lab. The pathologist in the lab will examine it under the microscope for cancer cells. If the biopsy result shows skin cancer, your doctor will let you know what should be the next step you need to take, what types of treatment are available and which one suits your type, etc. You may want to ask for a second opinion, since it can be hard to tell the difference between a sample that’s not cancerous and one that is.

The author of this article is one of the experienced Bowral doctors. In this article, he has mentioned a few things you need to know about skin cancer examination. Visit https://www.drono.com.au/

I believe in taking a holistic approach to patient care, will take the time to carefully listen to your concerns, answer your questions honestly and ensure that you are comfortable with all treatment plans we decide to go with. My patients would describe me as being professional, thorough, methodical and thoughtful in my approach to health care.