Why have a skin check?

The obvious answer is to check for skin cancers. If skin cancers are found and dealt with early, generally speaking, the treatment

is less disfiguring and in the case of malignant melanoma can be life-saving.

Before performing a skin check I ask a few questions. This gives me an idea of whether a person is at higher risk of having skin cancer.

People who are fair-skinned with blue or green eyes and whose skin tends to burn easily would be at greater risk of developing skin cancer.

A skin check involves a systematic examination of all skin lesions. If a person just wants me to check specific lesions, I would do that.

After performing a skin check, if all is well, I advise people to keep an eye on their moles. Monitor for new moles or changing moles. Check for changes in size (increasing size), shape (round or oval becoming irregular in shape) or colouration (especially if developing a darker area in a mole). If any changes occur then they should be reported to a doctor.

It is advisable to protect oneself from the effects of the sun by covering up or using high factor skin protection products. It is recommended that people have a skin check annually. If there are any suspicious lesions then a biopsy may be suggested. This would be arranged for another appointment.

I have heard it said that Queensland is the skin cancer capital of the world. The sun is particularly strong here and with a high proportion of the population with

fair skin, the risks are high. It is important to protect your skin. Prevention is preferable to treating skin cancers. It is some time since the ?Slip, slop, slap?

message was developed but it?s importance remains.

If you would like a skin check or just want to have some skin lesions checked we at Keperra Medical Centre would be more than happy to do that for you.

Take care of your skin. The following link gives more information about skin cancer care.

www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-prevention/sun-safety/check-for-signs-of-skin-cancer

Dr Jamie Sutherland