Our Services / Skin Cancer Screenings

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer. It develops when genes in the skin cells mutate and multiply abnormally. The three forms of skin cancer people get most often are:

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

BCC affects the outer surface of your skin, where you have basal layer cells. This type of skin cancer is most common on the face and neck. It usually looks like pearly or waxy bumps, or flat, brown or flesh-colored lesions on your skin.

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC)

SCC develops in the skin cells below the basal layer. It’s more likely to spread to other areas than basal cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma usually appears on the hands, face, or ears, and looks like a scaly or crusty lesion or a red nodule.

Melanoma

Melanoma affects the melanocyte cells in your skin that give it a brown color. Melanomas could appear anywhere, usually developing from an existing mole. If you have a mole that’s irregular, growing, itching, bleeding, or changing in some way, you could have melanoma.

While melanoma is less common than other forms of skin cancer, it’s the most serious. Without treatment, it could prove fatal, so skin cancer screening is vital.

What does skin cancer screening involve?

Skin cancer screening is a service offered by the team at Twelve Bridges Dermatology to identify cancers at an early stage. The sooner you get treatment for skin cancer, the better your outlook — especially with melanoma.

Check regularly for new lesions, changing moles, and other skin problems. If you find anything, make an appointment to see Dr. Adams as soon as possible. You can also visit Twelve Bridges Dermatology for a routine skin cancer screening exam.

Dr. Adams examines your skin for signs of cancer and asks you about any problems you’ve noticed. If he sees any suspicious lesions, he can treat them. That might involve excising (cutting out) the lesion and sending it for testing.

What happens after my skin cancer screening?

After your skin cancer screening, Dr. Adams might give you the all-clear, in which case you need to continue with your self-checks and make another routine screening appointment in the future.

As soon as your skin cancer screening results are back from the lab, Dr. Adams contacts you. If you need any further treatment, he can advise you on the best way to proceed.

For most people, an annual skin cancer screening is adequate. If you have a higher risk of skin cancer, you might need to undergo screening more often, but Dr. Adams will let you know.

To arrange your skin cancer screening or discuss a suspicious lesion, call Twelve Bridges Dermatology or book an appointment online today.