Who Should have a Full Skin Check?

 One question that medical professionals are often asked is "do I need a full skin check?".  For some people there is an easy answer: if you have ever had a skin cancer (eg. BCC, SCC or melanoma), then you should have a full skin check every year
to check for new skin cancers.  People who have had a skin cancer are at higher risk of developing another and it is better to catch any new skin cancers early.

For those without a personal history of skin cancer, the ones who would benefit most from a full skin check are those with a higher than average risk. This includes people with a strong family history of skin cancers (especially melanoma), lots of spots, high-risk skin types (i.e. fair complexions), a history of significant sun
damage, and those who have worked predominantly outdoors for more than 10 years. 

There are a few tools you can use which can help determine your risk of developing melanoma and they are worth a look.
The Skin Cancer College of Australasia has a tool for calculating skin cancer risk:
www.scanyourskin.org/risk-prediction-tool
The Melanoma Institute of Australia also has a calculator for melanoma risk:
www.melanomarisk.org.au/FirstMelLand
(select Tasmania as a similar latitude location to us here in New Zealand).

At Nelson Skin Doctors our team of expert clinicians are able to provide full body skin examinations to check for skin cancer, or we can provide an opinion on a spot or two.  We offer a range of treatment options for concerning spots including freezing with liquid nitrogen, treatment with chemotherapy creams and surgical excision of lesions in our dedicated procedure room.  Please contact us so we can discuss which option will work best for you.

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