Skin Cancer Care
Preparing for Your Skin Check
A little preparation before your appointment can make a full skin examination easier and help your doctor assess areas of concern more effectively.
Before Your Appointment
Where possible:
- Avoid heavy makeup or foundation
- Remove nail polish if you have concerns involving your nails
- Wear clothing that is easy to remove and put back on
- Bring photographs of lesions that have changed
- Make note of any new or unusual spots
- Tell the doctor about previous skin cancers or biopsies
- Mention any family history of melanoma
What Should I Show the Doctor?
Point out any lesion that:
- Is new
- Has changed
- Looks different from your other spots
- Has become persistently itchy, sore, scaly or crusted
- Has not healed normally
Even if a lesion appears small, mention it if you have noticed a change.
During the Skin Check
You may be asked to expose different areas of skin during the examination while maintaining appropriate privacy and dignity.
Dermoscopy may be used to examine individual lesions more closely.
If you have a particular area you would prefer not to have examined, discuss this with the doctor.
Next step
Arrange a consultation
Assessment in person is the only way to work out what is causing a skin concern and what can reasonably be done about it. Fees are explained before anything is arranged.
Medical disclaimer
This page is general information only and is not a diagnosis, a treatment recommendation, or a substitute for individual medical advice. Conditions that look similar can have different causes, and what is suitable for one person may not be suitable for another. If you are unwell, in significant pain, or worried about a rapidly changing symptom, seek medical care promptly. In an emergency call 000.
- Written for patients by
- Dr Benyamin Mansoori, cosmetic physician & skin cancer doctor
- Medically reviewed by
- Dr Benyamin Mansoori (MD, FRACGP, FACCSM), AHPRA MED0002097300
- Last medically reviewed