Full Body Screening Exams

Checking for Skin Cancer

Early Signs of Skin Cancer

  • Skin cancer can appear in many shapes and sizes, so sometimes, it can be challenging to identify. We cannot stress the importance of doing a self skin exam once a month! Getting to know your own skin is key to understanding what to look for, and it makes it easier to identify spots that are different.

What Should You Look For?

  • An open sore that does not heal 
  • An open sore that remains open for a few weeks, heals, then bleeds again
  • A consistent reddish patch or irritated area 
  • A shiny bump or nodule 
  • A white, yellow, or waxy scar 
  • Persistent scaly red patches that crust or bleed 
  • A horn shaped growth 
  • Uneven, irregular borders in moles 
  • A mole with a variety of different colors 
  • A mole that is increasing in size not proportionally to your own body growing with age

At Home

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) suggests these steps : 
  • Examine the front and back of your body in a mirror
  • Make sure to lift and turn your arms to check all sides
  • Check your underarms, forearms, and palms by bending your elbows
  • Check the backs of your legs and feet, including between your toes and soles by sitting down 
  • Use a small mirror to check the back of your neck
  • Use a small mirror to check your back, buttocks, and groin area
  • Part your hair to check in your scalp with the help of a mirror
“1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70.”
— skincancer.org

A

B

C

D

E

Rule 

A quick and easy acronym to use as a way to check your spots for concerning signs of skin cancers such as melanoma.

Images from healthline.com

In Clinic

While giving yourself a skin exam at home is a great idea, we do recommend coming in for a full body skin exam with one of our dermatologists. Here is what to expect at a skin exam:

What to expect during my visit? 

When you come in for a skin cancer screening exam, your provider will scan you from head to toe for any suspicious spots that may point towards being pre-cancerous or skin cancer. We refer to these as complete skin exams or full body skin exams. We will hand you a gown to change into during your visit and ask you a few questions to help us get a pertinent medical history, in relation to the exam. Your provider will also go over good skin protection practices and discuss your sunscreen and sun protective clothing usage. If we find any concerning spots, Your provider may decide to either biopsy them or monitor them with frequent check ups. If while monitoring, these spots start to become more concerning, then a biopsy may be suggested. A skin biopsy can be performed the day of your exam or be scheduled for later. If any skin conditions are diagnosed during the visit, then pertinent treatments/medications can be discussed and/or prescribed.

What should I do before my visit? 

Before your visit, it would be wise to obtain your complete dermatological medical records from any past dermatology offices. Any biopsies that have been done at other dermatology practices or doctor’s offices are extremely important  Please ensure to make your appointment before faxing over any information, so that we can properly attach it to your file as an existing patient.

Who will be in the room during the exam? 

A medical assistant will be with your dermatologist at all times during your complete skin exam and do your intake.

What happens after? 

When your skin exam is complete, you will be given a counseling sheet with information covering any topic discussed during your visit.  You will also receive a goodie bag with skincare and sunscreen samples! Follow ups will be determined on a case by case basis, as our doctors will determine the frequency at which you should be seen based on the results of your exam.

Important Tips 

Skin cancer can occur on the nails, so it is very helpful to remove all nail polish before coming to your visit. Makeup can be worn to your visit, but being able to see directly through to the skin allows for the best possible conditions during a skin exam.  Changes in the colors of moles can be an indicator of pre-cancerous or cancerous spots, so being able to monitor color accurately can help us to perform your complete skin exam to the best of our abilities.