“Healthiness equates to wealth” is what the saying “health is wealth” means; we must prioritise staying healthy by keeping tabs on our health, drinking enough water to stay hydrated, exercising, and eating right. All these habits are essential in maintaining every system in the body.
On the idea of keeping tabs on our health, how can we do that? Firstly, we start with the most visible organ in the body, among many others, the skin. The skin is the largest organ in the body and is responsible for protecting all other organs, regulating body temperature, and many other functions. Still, being the largest external organ in the body exposes it to many risks that can affect its performance. When its performance is affected, it can be described as unhealthy.
A condition called skin cancer is one of the many factors that affect the skin. It can be described as abnormal movement or growth in the skin’s cells. These cells need to function together for the skin to stay healthy, but cancer distorts the functionality of skin cells. Hence, it is essential to check your skin for signs of skin cancer. Discovering the abnormality earlier can help save your life and curb cancer from spreading.
Skin cancer checks differ from the regular check-ups you participate in at hospitals; you need to know how to prepare for them. This article will outline tips on ways to prepare for a skin cancer check and the causes of skin cancer.
Tips on How to Prepare for Skin Cancer Checks
As mentioned earlier, there are specific steps to take in preparation for a skin cancer check. These steps include:
- Find concerning lesions at home: Nobody knows your body better than you; you must take the time to examine your body for any changes you cannot explain. These changes might not be cancerous, but it is better to be safe. When you spot these changes, please note them and direct the doctor’s attention to them during a check-up session.
- Document suspicious changes: When you spot changes in moles or scars, you can take photos of the moles in the weeks leading to your examination appointment. Bring these photos for your skin check because they will be helpful during the check.
- Book an appointment: You want to book an appointment for a skin cancer check with a trusted, reliable, and proven doctor. You need to check the doctor’s credentials and ensure that you are comfortable with the doctor before booking an appointment.
- Do not wear makeup and only wear comfortable clothes: Your skin needs to be fresh and uncontaminated on the day of the skin check; doctors recommend that patients avoid any solution that can alter the skin’s makeup days before the check. Also, on the check day, you need to wear comfortable and easy clothes to get in and out of.
- Be honest and punctual: In reality, the skin cancer doctors work with the information you provide; you need to be plain on your medical records, medication, and treatments you have undergone before. Plus, you must arrive very early for your appointment because while you wait, the skin cancer clinic can prepare for your skin cancer check.
Conclusion
The chances of developing skin cancer are increased with constant exposure to ultraviolet rays and the kind of food we eat, and some patients come from a family with a history. Hence, everyone should know how to prepare for a skin cancer check.
