Comprehensive Skin Checks in Toowoomba
Why You Should Have Your Skin Checked
At East Toowoomba Skin Cancer Clinic, we are dedicated to the early detection and treatment of skin cancer. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, and melanoma — a cancer of the pigment cells — is the most lethal of the skin cancers we see regularly.
Although melanoma is the most well-publicised skin cancer, it is not as common as Basal Cell Cancer or Squamous Cell Cancer. All three can be lethal, and all are treated more easily and successfully when they are detected early.
The best method of early detection is a comprehensive skin examination on a regular basis. We usually recommend this every year, though your doctor's advice will vary depending on your skin type, family history and personal history. The age for your first skin check is also variable, but any fair-skinned Australian over the age of 30 would be well advised to book one. Those with many moles, fair skin, a history of excessive sun exposure, or a strong family history of skin cancer should start regular skin checks earlier.
A comprehensive skin examination at our Toowoomba clinic takes around 20 to 40 minutes, depending on your skin. Your doctor will use a range of magnification devices to examine your skin in detail and under different lighting conditions, and treatment for some lesions may be carried out on the day.
We recommend having a comprehensive skin examination rather than only asking the doctor to look at the spots that concern you. About 80% of the cancers detected at our clinic are lesions the patient did not know they had, while only around 20% of the spots patients are worried about turn out to be cancerous. Even so, it is important to have any new or concerning spot checked as soon as you notice it — alongside a comprehensive skin check at least once a year.
Before your skin check, please make sure you are freshly showered and have removed any make-up, tinted moisturiser, sunscreen and bulky jewellery.
Skin Check Types
Comprehensive Skin Check
A Comprehensive Skin Check is a thorough, head-to-toe examination of your skin. We recommend this approach rather than only having the doctor examine specific spots, as around 80% of the cancers we detect are lesions the patient did not know were there. Skin cancers are best treated as early as possible, and a regular Comprehensive Skin Check is the most reliable way to find them.
It remains important to have any new or concerning spot checked as soon as you notice it — please contact the clinic and we will do our best to fit you in for a single lesion check as soon as possible.
During your Comprehensive Skin Check, you will be asked to remove your clothing but may keep your underwear on. Modesty sheets are provided, so there is no need to feel uncomfortable at any stage of the examination.
The examination begins with you seated on the side of the examination couch while the doctor checks your scalp — this alone can take two to five minutes, depending on how much hair you have and the level of sun damage present. From there, your doctor follows a systematic approach to ensure every part of your skin is examined thoroughly.
A Comprehensive Skin Check usually takes between 20 and 45 minutes, depending on your skin type, the amount of sun damage, the number and type of moles you have, and whether any treatment is carried out during the appointment. The most common treatment performed during the check itself is liquid nitrogen therapy for early skin damage.
A number of other treatments may also be carried out at the time of your Comprehensive Skin Check, either at the end of the appointment or at a separate visit. Your doctor will talk you through what is needed as the examination progresses.
Total Body Photography
Total Body Photography uses photography to create a baseline record of the lesions on your skin. Comparing your skin against this baseline allows for early detection of lesions that may be cancerous, even before they look like cancer. Repeat photography may be recommended depending on your age, skin changes and other factors.
We use high-quality photographic equipment to capture a full sequence of studio-quality images of your skin. The session is conducted by one of our highly trained nursing staff, who will work with you to obtain the photographs while maintaining your privacy and comfort.
By understanding how different lesions typically grow at various ages and rates, our doctors can identify potential cancers before they present as obvious cancers — a technique that is particularly useful for melanoma.
All photographs are stored on a secure hard drive with advanced firewall protection, and are only accessed at your next skin check.
Total Body Photography is useful for patients of all ages, but is particularly valuable for those with many moles and for anyone over the age of 40. Approximately five per cent of melanomas are detected through the use of Total Body Photography.
Mole Max II Imaging
We use DermEngine software and hardware to capture magnified images of specific lesions. The software allows these images to be mapped onto an avatar for easy reference.
This detailed recording allows for direct comparison of a lesion over time, so short-term follow-up — usually at three-monthly intervals — can be carried out. This approach has proven highly effective in the early detection of some melanomas. Compared with Total Body Photography, DermEngine is more useful for the follow-up of specific lesions identified during a skin check or noticed by patients themselves.
DermEngine is also a valuable tool for helping patients see exactly what their skin lesions look like under the same magnification used by our skin cancer doctors during a skin check.
49 Margaret Street, East Toowoomba QLD 4350 | Phone: 07 4646 4945
