What To Expect During a Skin Cancer Screening

Healthy skin takes work and a part of that work is getting at least a yearly skin cancer screening in Schenectady, NY. Dr. Sheryl Miller is a board-certified dermatologist with years of academic and clinical experience helping to give people the healthy skin they deserve. The skin is the largest organ in your body, and it requires constant monitoring to make sure that skin cancer is caught early.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 20% of Americans will develop skin cancer by the time they are 70 years old. Two people die from skin cancer every hour. Having 5 or more serious sunburns increases your risk of developing melanoma by two and early detection of melanoma increases your chances of surviving for 5 years by 99%. Early detection of all types of cancer is vital to your long-term health.

The Skin Cancer Exam

During a skin exam, a dermatologist checks the skin for moles, birthmarks, or other areas that look unusual in texture, size, color, or shape. You will be checked from head to toe and this includes your scalp, ears, and between your fingers and toes. If you have noticed anything unusual during a self-exam, tell your dermatologist so that they can examine it more closely. 

If your dermatologist is concerned about a lesion or mole, they may recommend a biopsy. This requires removing a piece of tissue that can be sent to a laboratory to be tested. It can take a week or two to get the results and if cancer is found your dermatologist will recommend a follow-up visit.to discuss your treatment options. If nothing is found you will probably not need to return for a year to get another skin cancer screening in Schenectady, NY. 

Self Exam

In between your skin cancer screenings with your dermatologist, you should be doing monthly self-examinations. Look at your body in a full-length mirror and have a hand mirror as well. You need to see your back and places that are not easily visible in the normal scheme of things. Early detection is the best tool that dermatologists have to help their patients to survive skin cancer. Look for lesions or moles that have irregular edges, are more than one color, have odd shapes, are changing shapes, colors, or texture, and are bigger than 6mm.

Call Our Office

If you are concerned about skin cancer in Schenectady, NY Dr. Miller provides the skin cancer screening services that you desire. To schedule your skin cancer screening call the office at (518) 536-3151.