What to expect upon your visit at My Skin Centre

What to expect upon your visit at My Skin Centre

In Australia, our hot climate means the risk of skin cancer is high, with two out of every three people being diagnosed during their lifetime.

The recommendation by the Cancer Council Australia is that adults have their skin assessed by a trained physician on an annual basis. In addition, it is recommended you self check your moles and freckles every three months to monitor any changes in size, shape and colour. At My Skin Centre we have experienced, trained staff available to assess your body with our skin and mole checks. Here is what to expect upon your visit to one of our centres:

History Check and Skin Concerns

When you visit My Skin Centre for the first time, you will be asked to fill out a patient information form to determine your skin concerns, current medications, allergies and any family history.

During the initial consultation one of our skilled team members will establish your risk of skin cancer based on a variety of factors including sunscreen use, history of solariums and current habits. Your information will be kept on file to allow us to make future recommendations, based on comparisons over time.

Body Screening

For your first visit we recommend a full body screening as some cancers are hard to spot. It isn’t typically the irregular, big brown mole which can be deadly, but something more subtle. Skin cancer has even been found on the tongue or between your toes and can often go unnoticed.

Alternatively, you may wish to check an individual mole if it is causing you concern. Unless requested, our full body screening process excludes the scalp (except in cases of baldness), and the genital regions as skin cancer in these areas is extremely rare.

What to Wear

For your full body skin check you will be asked to dress down to your underwear, you will be provided with a modesty sheet.

The Assessment

During the assessment a doctor will use a special tool called a dermascope to look over your body. The dermoscope is an instrument which magnifies an area of the skin, allowing the doctor to view beneath the top layer. Any irregularities in freckles, moles and hair follicles will be noted, and due to the advanced features of the dermascope a biopsy is generally not required unless the lesion is suspicious.

You will be educated on what to keep an eye out for, and we recommend taking the time to point out any skin concerns which are bothering you. This process takes approximately 15 minutes and will be painless.

Follow Up

Mole removal will only be performed if necessary, but you may request this procedure for cosmetic reasons. The next steps will depend on the outcome of your skin and mole check and the types of spots present. Some lesions may be removed, while others may need to be rechecked after a few months. As every patient is different, our experienced staff will create a plan based on your individual needs.

If no abnormalities are found we will reschedule a follow up appointment dependent on your risk factors, the minimum recommendation is once per year.

Book Your Appointment

At My Skin Centre we have clinics in 9 convenient locations in Western Australia. Our friendly staff are experienced in skin cancer detection and removal, and aim to make every appointment as comfortable and relaxed as possible. Please contact us today to book an appointment, because skin cancer is preventable and early diagnosis is key.