Suspecting you might have skin cancer is scary. You may have noticed a strange-looking mole or a bleeding sore that concerns you. The important thing is not to panic. You might have something to worry about, but the first step is to find out what’s true. As such, we recommend a skin cancer screening.
Colorado Skin Care offers a number of aesthetic skin treatments that can make you look as young as you feel. But Kimberly Stone, MD, is always first and foremost preoccupied with health and wellness. That means ensuring your skin is healthy and any signs of serious problems, such as skin cancer, are checked out and diagnosed as soon as possible.
In many cases, patients only consider the possibility of skin cancer when they happen to notice something weird: a new growth, a mole that’s changing size or shape, or a scaly patch that doesn’t get better with the application of lotion or ointment. But it’s important to remember this: you can — and should — check yourself for skin cancer about once a month.
To do this, stand in a well-lit room, look at yourself in the mirror, and examine your skin. Look in the places you don’t usually, such as under your arms, in your armpits, under your breasts, on the bottoms of your feet, between your thighs, and on the backs of your legs. Use a hand mirror to check out those hard-to-see places or ask a friend or partner for help.
The things you should be looking for are as follows
If you find anything, contact our office to take further steps.
The more times you do your self-checks, the easier it will be to determine if something on your skin is changing. But what happens if you see something strange, troubling, or just different? In general, it’s best to err on the side of caution, especially after an initial self-check, and talk to your provider if you see anything concerning.
Make an appointment, and we’ll be happy to bring you in for a skin cancer screening. During your screening, we’ll go over your medical history and discuss your current habits, such as whether or not you use tanning beds and/or if you wear sunscreen. After that, we’ll take a look at your skin — possibly using certain tools, like a dermatoscope — to see everything properly.
If we think the area you found (or another area) is concerning, we might do a biopsy. This involves taking a small piece of the skin in that area so we can analyze the cells and determine whether or not they’re healthy. We’ll get your results in a week or two.
If the biopsy comes back and we’re still concerned, we might order additional tests to confirm the presence of skin cancer. In the event this does occur, there are many ways in which we can support you through your diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Different treatments may be more suitable for different types of skin cancer.
Generally speaking, surgery is often the most common treatment, especially for skin cancer that was caught early. In some cases, the mole or area where the skin cancer has occurred can be removed so you can safely recover. If you require another type of treatment, such as radiation therapy, medications, or something else, we can discuss that with you, too.
Once you’ve been treated for your skin cancer, it’s imperative that you continue to check your skin for any signs of further problems and that you have a yearly check-up.
Survival rates for skin cancer patients are very high, especially when the issue is detected early. As such, it’s always better to take a look, ask for help, and get diagnosed if you have any concerns. If you think you might have skin cancer, get support immediately.
We’re located in the Denver, Colorado, area and offer a number of dermatological treatments, including full-body skin cancer screenings. To make an appointment, simply call 303-740-4883, or visit us online.