Each year, many people choose to visit a doctor for their routine check-up, their dentist to get their teeth checked, and perhaps an optician to get their eyes checked. But what about a skin check by a specially trained skin cancer doctor?
Doctors are professionals specially trained to detect skin cancer. The earlier these cancers are detected, the higher the chance they are treatable. So having skin cancer screenings should be an important part of your healthcare routine. Keep reading this article to discover what you should expect during a skin cancer screening, but before we get into that, let’s first establish the basis of skin cancer screening.
What is skin cancer screening?
A skin cancer screening is a visual exam of the skin that is performed at a skin cancer clinic, from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet to detect cancer early. This screening can be done either by yourself or a health care provider. The screening checks the skin for moles, birthmarks, or other marks unusual in colour, size, shape, or texture. Such unusual marks could be signs of skin cancer.
Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in the United States. The most common types of dreaded diseases are basal cell and squamous cell cancers. When basal and squamous are combined, they are known as keratinocytes. These cancers hardly spread to other body parts and are usually curable with treatment. A third and most dangerous type of skin cancer is called melanoma. It is less common than the other two but more harmful because it’s more likely to spread. Melanoma causes the most skin cancer deaths.
What is skin cancer screening used for?
Usually, skin cancer screening is used to detect cancerous skin. It is not used to determine cancer. If your skin is suspected of having cancer after a screening, a biopsy test will be needed to find out whether you have cancer.
What are the risk factors for skin cancer?
Risk factors for skin cancer include having:
- Light skin tone
- Blond or red hair
- Light-coloured eyes, mostly blue or green
- Skin that freckles or burns easily
- Having a history of sunburns
- Family history of skin cancer
- Having lots of moles
If you have any of these risk factors, talk to your health provider about them and consider seeing a doctor
What happens during a skin cancer screening?
Skin cancer screenings may be done by yourself, your primary care provider, or a doctor.
If you are getting screened by a doctor or other health care provider, it may include the following steps:
You’ll be asked to remove all your clothing. But If you are uncomfortable being undressed in front of your provider, you can wear a gown. Your provider will give you a full head-to-toe exam, including your scalp, behind your ears, fingers, toes, buttocks, and genitals.
This exam might seem awkward, but it’s important to get checked, as skin cancer can occur anywhere on your skin. Your skin doctor will also check for lesions that look different from others, both in size, colours, and ones that have irregular boarders.
Your provider might use a dermatoscope to look at the individual lesion. Usually, this screening should take about 10-15 minutes. If your skin is suspected of having cancer after the screening, your doctor will recommend you go for a biopsy test.
Conclusion
Skin cancer is a dangerous disease, but if detected earlier, it might not be as harmful as you imagine. Waste no time contacting your doctor if you notice any unusual change in your skin; you might just be saving your life by doing so.
