Question:
Has anyone gone to the dermatologist for a body skin cancer screening? I had
mine and expected some high-tech special lights or equipment. He looked me over in two minutes.
Is this typical or not thorough?
Answer:
It depends on your skin type, exposure, conditions and history.
Are you fair with lots of moles and freckles?
Have you had lots of burns and/or damaging sun exposure?
Is there a history of skin cancer of melanomas in your family?
Do you live in a part of the country with lots of sun?
If you answer no to all of the above a quick visual check is probably fine.
It is amazing what experienced dermatologists can pick up with just a
visual. If you have any of the above risk factors they should probably give
you a more thorough lookover. You might be surprised at what is suspicious.
I have had many small- medium brown moles all over my body since childhood
and the first thing my dermatologist checked out was a white spot on my foot
that I'd never noticed ( in hindsight it was suspicious - shiny, rubbery
looking, like a scar - although it wasn't a scar). It turned out to be ok,
but anything that even makes you slightly
