Skin Cancer Check

SKIN CANCER CHECK MELBOURNE

THE PROCESS – HOW A SKIN CANCER CHECK WORKS

 

Allow 30-45 minutes for your skin check. Please arrive 5-10 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Upon arrival you will be asked to complete some brief paperwork.

During your skin and mole check, your doctor will review your questionnaire answers and history you have provided to address any specific concerns you might have and any previous skin cancer treatments.

A full body skin check will be completed by your doctor using a specialist medical device called a Dermatoscope.

Once completed, your doctor will discuss their findings with you as well as any suspected skin cancer or suspicious moles. If needed, a treatment plan will be presented which could include recommended mole removal or biopsy. Any biopsies will be sent to a laboratory for analysis and confirmation.

Finally, your doctor will answer any and all questions you might have about the skin cancer check and any follow up management or monitoring needed.

CSD clinics’s skin cancer clinic offer a range of mole removal services including laser mole removal and cosmetic mole removal. The removal method will be determined by the doctor following a mole check in-clinic.

There are three main removal methods for innocent moles:

1. Excision
2. Shave excision
3. Laser

LASER MOLE REMOVAL

Some moles which are benign can be treated with Laser. Laser treatment is not suitable for suspicious moles or skin cancer. Some lasers, eg Alexandrite, are colour selective so will lighten the pigment within the mole. In most cases, the mole will fade by over 60% and will become flatter. This will improve the appearance of the mole, but does not remove all the cells in the mole, and does not prevent melanoma. To achieve best results, more than one treatment may be needed.

There are three main types of skin cancers, Basal Cell Carcinomas (BCC), Squamous Cell Carcinomas (SCC) and Melanomas.

MELANOMA

This is the most serious type of skin cancer and can be fatal. It may look like:

1. Brown/black/red lesion which has an irregular colour arrangement and irregular border.
2. Brown, black or red lump in the skin, which has grown quickly.

The prognosis depends on the stage of growth and how quickly it is detected. Early lesions that are thin have an excellent prognosis, while deeper lesions can spread quickly and lead to death. The treatment of melanoma is surgery. The extent of the surgery depends on the depth of the lesion. Regular follow up after treatment is essential.

SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS (SCC)

These often look like scaly red lesions which may be thickened. They can grow quickly and are often painful. They can spread and invade through the skin. SCC is usually treated by surgical removal.

BASAL CELL CARCINOMAS

These are the most common skin cancers and are usually slow-growing. They often look like a red spot or pimple, which does not heal. They may also bleed. They can be treated by:

1. Surgery
2. Curettage and diathermy
3. Cryotherapy
4. Cream (mainly superficial BCC)
5. Photodynamic Therapy