Manningham Skin Cancer Clinic Delivering Skin Cancer Check in Blackburn
Skin cancer is considered as one of the most ubiquitous forms of cancer globally. It may affect any age group, and can turn out to be deadly if not treated appropriately. For most adults living in Australia, it is essential to have annual examinations constantly in order to spot any problems early.
Our all-inclusive service encompasses complete skin checks, screening, monitoring and treatment of any spots or moles demanding further medical attention. We have both male and female Skin Cancer Doctors available to perform your skin checks.
At Manningham Skin Cancer Clinic we aim to make sure that our patients feel comfortable during the whole examination process will leave with peace of mind that they had a thorough check. A full skin check takes approximately 15-20 minutes, based on the number and intricacy of spots and if further tests or treatment need to be performed.
Prior to the examination process, we will take a detailed history of your skin, including history of previous sunburn, solarium use, previous skin cancers or family history of skin cancer. All of these are known risk factors for the development of skin cancer. You may be asked to point out any new or changing spots of concern, which we will focus on later.
During skin examination, we respect your privacy and will ask you to undress behind a curtain, with removal of all clothing excluding underwear (females keep the bra on). A cover gown or sheet is available if required.
We generally recommend avoiding make-up, nail polish and fake tan before your mole check in order to enable a clear view of the areas requiring assessment.
Manningham Skin Cancer Clinic offering skin check in Blackburn
Your skin is thoroughly inspected from head to toe with the help of a hand held digital dermatoscope to evaluate your moles, with any spots needing further attention photographed under high magnification. This will typically encompass examination on your scalp, face, neck, torso front as well as back, arms and legs. We also look at your fingernails, toenails, in between your toes and under your arms where skin cancers, including melanoma, are uncommon but may still occur. As mentioned earlier, your underwear (together with bra in females) will remain on during the assessment, but you will be asked if there are any novels or changing spots of concern under these garments. We will make sure to address your specific areas of concern.
With the benefit of digital dermoscopy, we are able to take images of skin lesions, and compare them to images taken on your next visit to track any changes. This will provide additional information to your doctor in determining whether a skin lesion may require further investigation.
As part of the skin check we may identify spots that requires a biopsy (a skin sample), which will be sent to pathology for further assessment. We may also find areas of solar keratosis, also known as sunspots, which can be treated with cryotherapy.
At Manningham Skin Cancer Clinic we utilise the best dermoscopy technology available, and the effectiveness of dermoscopy can be augmented in the hands of our highly qualified specialists in Skin Cancer Medicine to provide optimum care for our patients.
Why should I undergo a skin cancer check?
Skin cancer is considered one of the most common conditions in Australia. As per the records, 2 in 3 Australians are likely to develop some type of skin cancer in their lifetime. These will range from basal cell carcinomas, to squamous cell carcinomas, to the more dangerous melanomas.
As always, prevention is always better than cure. Thankfully, most of these cancers can be treated easily if detected and treated early before they have become invasive.
Skin cancer check using digital dermoscopy at Manningham Skin Cancer Clinic in Blackburn.
Skin cancer check using digital dermoscopy can be undertaken by our trained doctors with the help of dermatoscope combined with imaging equipment and skin mapping software. Digital dermoscopy utilises high magnification and polarised light in order to illumine the structural features of skin lesions that cannot be identified with the naked eye. The benefits of digital imaging include earlier detection and more accurate diagnosis of skin cancers, as well as the ability to track changes of skin lesions.
What can be done to reduce the chances of developing skin cancer?
Avoid sunburn. In Australia we are lucky to live in a country of beautiful beaches and nature; we love spending time outdoors with our hobbies and sports. However we need to be sensible about our sun exposure.
In most circumstances you should wear sunscreen daily whenever the UV index is above 3. In Melbourne this is generally between the hours of 11am-3pm in the warmer months. Sunscreen should be broad spectrum SPF 50+ sunscreen and needs to be applied 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapplied every 4 hours. In addition, you should wear a broad rimmed hat, sunglasses and stay in the shade where possible.
If you spend a lot of time outdoors, either in the past or currently, it is highly advisable you have a skin cancer check every year. At Manningham Skin Cancer Clinic, with the help of advanced technology, we make sure that you can have accurate assessment and prompt management.
Our doctors are available 5 days a week at our clinics in Templestowe, Melbourne and also serve various other suburbs in Melbourne including: Doncaster, Donvale, Bulleen, Box Hill, Balwyn, Eltham, Heidelberg, Ivanhoe, and Kew.