Mole monitoring is an essential for the early detection of skin cancer. While most moles are harmless (benign), in some cases they may become cancerous. Identifying cancerous skin lesions early, improves the chance of successful treatment. Regular skin cancer checks are the best way to spot suspicious moles and ensure appropriate treatment.
What Does a Skin Check Involve?
A skin check is a thorough, head-to-toe examination of your skin. A professional skin cancer check can be performed by a doctor, dermatologist or health professional trained in skin cancer detection.
To prepare for your skin check you’ll be asked to undress down to your underwear. This gives your doctor a clear view of your skin, so that no moles are left unchecked. Using a dermatoscope, your doctor will check your skin from your head to your toes. This includes examining your neck, torso, arms, legs, feet and hands for suspicious moles or lesions.
If a suspicious mole is detected, a biopsy may be performed. This is a quick and simple procedure where a small sample of skin is removed and sent to a laboratory for further testing.
Some skin check services may offer mole mapping and monitoring. This involves taking high-resolution digital images of your skin and mapping out your moles. This helps you and your doctor or skin specialist to identify new moles and to track and compare changes over time. During your skin check your doctor may also discuss your personal skin cancer risk and offer prevention tips to keep your skin safe.
Signs of Skin Cancer
While the thought of skin cancer is frightening, knowing the signs to look out for can help you to spot it early—when it’s more easily treated. Key features to look for include a mole that:
- is asymmetrical
- has changed in colour
- has a ragged, notched or blurred border
- has changed in size or shape (may have grown bigger)
- appears to have spread
Remember that skin cancer can look different from one person to another. If you notice a mole or spot has changed in shape, size or colour, or just looks odd, it’s important to get it checked out promptly.
How Important is it to Self-Monitor Your Skin?
The best way to detect skin cancer is to get to know your skin. Knowing what’s ‘normal’ and what’s not can help you to detect changes early.
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends doing a DIY skin check every month. To perform a self-skin check optimally, follow these 3 steps.
1. Undress completely
For best results, you’ll need a full-length mirror, good lighting, and a hand-held mirror to make it easier to examine hard-to-see areas, like the back of your neck and scalp. Asking a family member or close friend to help can be useful.
2. Check your entire body
This includes your face, scalp, neck, arms, hands, torso, back, legs and feet. Don’t forget that skin cancers can develop on parts of the body that are not exposed to the sun, such as the soles of the feet, between fingers and toes and under nails.
3. Know the signs to look for
Every new skin cancer can look different. There’s also a wide range of signs to look for. To keep things simple, scan your skin for:
- A new spot or mole
- A mole that changes in size, shape, colour, or texture
- A sore that doesn’t heal
- An ‘ugly duckling’ — a spot that looks different from the rest of the spots on your skin
- A dark patch, strip of colour, or stain on the skin or under a nail
- A spot that becomes itchy, painful or tender
How Often Should I Get a Skin Cancer Check?
Alongside your monthly DIY skin checks, you should get a professional skin cancer check at least once a year. Depending on your skin cancer risk, you may require more frequent skin checks. Your doctor will advise you on this.
5 Steps to Reduce Your Skin Cancer Risk
For best protection, it’s crucial to combine regular skin checks with sun protection measures. The 5 key steps to keep yourself safe from skin cancer are:
- Wear sun-protective clothing that covers as much skin as possible.
- Apply SPF 50 or SPF50+, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen. Make sure you apply it 20 minutes before going outdoors and don’t forget to re-apply every two hours.
- Wear a hat with a wide brim or legionnaire style to protect your face, head, neck and ears.
- Stay in the shade, particularly when the UV index is at its highest.
- Wear sunglasses (ideally wrap-around style) that block both UVA and UVB rays.
Regular skin checks and sun-protective behaviours are your best defence against skin cancer. When was your last skin check?
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