How to tell if a mole is cancerous?
The most popular system for telling if a mole is cancerous is the ABCD system, but this is a late detection system and should only be used as a guide. If your moles show any signs of the following, then the skin cancer may already be advanced.
When to check a mole?
We’re often asked by our patients when they should get their moles checked and there’s three main reasons why you should:
How does a dermatologist check a mole for cancer?
The very first and important part of our assessment is the history. It might sound a bit odd, but one of the first things a dermatologist will ask you is the precise history of any mole you are worried about and that is because there are very specific changes that a skin cancer would go through as opposed to a normal mole.
When to check a mole for skin cancer?
1 in 5 people in the UK will develop skin cancer in their lifetime, so it’s important to know if you have a higher risk. Here’s Dr Rallan’s guide:
What to do when you suspect you have a cancerous Mole?
A lot of our patients come to us because a member of their family or a friend has been diagnosed with skin cancer, or if their GP is slightly concerned about a mole they have.
Is skin cancer curable?
Fortunately, skin cancer is curable but this is entirely dependent on the stage at which it is caught and removed. It also depends on the type of skin cancer.
What are the symptoms of skin cancer?
Generally speaking, skin cancers tend not to give any pain, itching or oozing at all.
What causes skin cancer?
The causes of skin cancer are related to lifestyle and/or genetics.
Does skin cancer itch?
Not really. We find that people expect symptoms from a condition as serious as skin cancer.
Can you die from Skin Cancer?
Fortunately, most skin cancers do not cause death. This is mainly because they are caught early or they do not have the potential to kill.
Types of Skin Cancers
There are more than 10 different types of skin cancer. There are several different types of tissues in your skin and any of these can become cancerous.
How to prevent skin cancer?
There are several ways to minimise the risk of skin cancer over your lifetime.
Does insurance cover mole removal?
We get a large number of requests for moles to be removed. Over 90% of these are for cosmetic reasons.
Does mole removal leave a scar?
Our patients usually ask us what they should expect to happen after their mole(s) have been removed.
Does mole removal hurt?
No, mole removal does not hurt as we always use a local anaesthetic right under the mole.
How much does mole removal cost?
We’re often asked how much it costs to remove a mole and we have a very simple pricing structure:
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