Henry’s Health And Medical Advice

Posted on: 8 October 2019

Self-diagnosis is probably the reason most people don't go for regular medical checks. Notably, most people ignore clear symptoms and end up with serious health issues. Therefore, if you have noticed suspect moles, a skin mark that oozes blood, or sores that take more than two weeks to heal, then you might want to go for a skin cancer check. While these symptoms may individually point to something different other than cancer, they should be a cause for concern if they appear at the same time. Skin cancer checks can, therefore, identify cancerous activity and help to administer treatment immediately. While it is not advisable to self-diagnose, it is vital to know specific facts about skin cancer checks. Read on. 

 Biopsies, Not Screening Determine Cancer Presence

There is a common misconception among the public regarding a skin cancer diagnosis. Most people believe that if an unusual lump or discharge is detected on the skin during the screening process, then the chances are high that it is cancerous. However, nothing could be further from the truth because a biopsy, not screening, determines whether a patient has skin cancer or not. Screening is just a procedure the patient undergoes to identify suspect features in the skin. Once spots are identified, medical staffs conduct a biopsy and collect tissue on and between the different skin layers. The tissue is finally observed under a microscope and examined for the presence of cancerous cells. Only after the results of the biopsies can a physician decide that a patient has skin cancer.    

Checks Are Conducted at Medical Centres, Not Medical Spas

The beauty industry has been growing exponentially, and that might explain the rise in medical spas. While medical spas can handle certain medical services such as varicose and spider vein treatments, customised foot treatments, and botox injections, the centres cannot conduct skin cancer checks. Unfortunately, most people believe that they can just drop by their medical spa and ask for a skin cancer screening. If you have any of the symptoms of skin cancer, go to a medical centre with cancer screening services.   

You Need to Prepare for Skin Cancer Screening

If you have made an appointment with your dermatologist for a skin cancer screening session, you need to prepare adequately. What this means is that your skin has to take a break from your makeup. The reason is that images produced by ultrasound devices used in skin cancer screening are affected by makeup. Therefore, on the day of the screening, ensure that your skin, hair and nails are in their natural form. It increases the accuracy of the skin cancer check.