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Schedule a skin cancer check

All of us looked at a mole and wondered, “when did you appear?”
We also have those old faithful friends that have been around forever.

But sometimes we lose track of what they’re doing, and you might catch yourself scratching a mole, or notice it’s started to get irritated.

Your partner, a friend or a stranger might say “hey that looks a little strange, maybe you should get that checked out”.

And while a lot of marks on our skin are benign, it can be reassuring to have them checked out, particularly if you’re at increased risk.

Who should get a skin cancer check?

High Risk – Yearly skin check (3 monthly self exam)

  • Red hair
  • Type 1 skin and age greater than 45 years
  • Type 2 skin and age greater than 65 years
  • Family history of melanoma in a first degree relative in patients aged over 15 years
  • More than 100 naevi (birthmarks, beauty marks) or more than 10 atypical naevi
  • Past history of melanoma
  • Past history of non-melanoma skin cancer or more than 20 solar keratosis

Medium Risk – 2-5 yearly skin checks (3-6 monthly self exam)

  • Blue eyes
  • Type 1 skin and age 25–45 years
  • Type 2 skin and age 45–65 years
  • Type 3 skin and age greater than 65 years
  • Family history of NMSC
  • Past history of solar keratosis
  • Multiple previous episodes of sunburn

Low Risk – Once off skin check (and annual self check)

  • Type 1 skin and age less than 25 years
  • Type 2 skin and age less than 45 years
  • Type 3 skin and age less than 65 years
  • Type 4 and 5 skin

What to expect at a skin check

We start by asking some questions about your personal skin history, and family history. So it might be worth having a chat with mum and dad, and your siblings to see if they’ve ever had skin cancer before.

Then we ask you to point out which skin spots you’re most worried about, we’ll of course pay attention to those.

If you are comfortable, we will ask you to undress to your underwear and offer you some sheets to cover up any area you don’t feel satisfied with. We’ll then look area by area, often starting at the head and working our way down to the soles of the feet.

Anything suspicious gets looked at with a unique tool called a dermatoscope, and we’ll take a photo of it for your file. If we find any suspicious lesions that may be cancerous, we will endeavour to biopsy them at this visit, or within the same week.

What happens next?

If nothing abnormal is seen on your skin, then we arrange for your next skin check based on your level of risk.

Any skin sample that is biopsied is sent to a laboratory where a dermatopathologist will look at it under the microscope and tell us what it is. Your doctor will chat to you before we know the final result about what they think it might be, and discuss treatment options such as excision, topical treatment, or other methods to remove it. 

Once the result is back, your doctor or one of our registered nurses will call you to discuss the results and arrange for an excision which we can perform on-site for your convenience.

Why choose GS Health?

The doctors at GS Health that perform skin checks and excisions have all dedicated themselves to further training in skin cancer medicine and surgery. They are also experts on you as a whole patient, not just the dots on your skin.

We understand that it can be a frightening and anxiety-provoking time to have a skin examination, and we ensure you are kept informed and made comfortable every step of the way.

With certificates and diplomas accredited by Bond University and the Skin Cancer College of Australasia, you can rest assured that you are being examined by a doctor dedicated to excellence in skin cancer medicine.

Let our doctors guide you to better health so you can live your best life