What to Expect During a Skin Cancer Check

If you've never had a skin cancer check or mole check before, you might feel a bit uncertain about what's involved. That's completely normal. Knowing what to expect can help you feel prepared and make the most of your appointment.

The short version: it's quick, painless, and one of the most effective things you can do for your health.

Before Your Appointment

A little preparation goes a long way. On the day of your skin check:

• Remove nail polish from fingers and toes. Skin cancers can develop under nails, and your doctor needs to see them clearly.
• Skip makeup and heavy moisturisers on your face. These can obscure spots that need assessment.
• Wear loose, easy-to-remove clothing. A full-body skin check means your doctor will need to see all of your skin, so clothing you can take off and put back on easily makes the process smoother.
• Make a note of any spots that concern you. If something has changed, grown, started itching, or started bleeding, mention it at the start of your appointment. It helps your doctor prioritise.

The Examination

Your doctor will work systematically through your entire body, checking your scalp, face, ears, neck, torso, arms, hands, legs, feet, and the spaces between your toes. They'll also check areas you might not think of, like behind your ears, along your hairline, and on your back.

The key tool in a thorough skin check is a dermatoscope. This is a handheld instrument with a magnifying lens and a polarised light source. When pressed gently against the skin, it reveals structures and patterns beneath the surface that are invisible to the naked eye. Dermatoscopy dramatically improves diagnostic accuracy for melanoma and other skin cancers. It's completely painless, a bit like having a small torch held against your skin.

The examination itself usually takes 15 to 30 minutes. If you have many moles or spots requiring close inspection, it may take a little longer.

What Happens if Something Looks Suspicious?

If your doctor identifies a spot that needs further investigation, they'll talk you through the next steps. In many cases, this means a biopsy, where a small sample of tissue is removed and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Biopsies are done under local anaesthetic and are quick procedures.

At some clinics, this means a referral elsewhere and a separate wait. At practices with in-house surgical capability, the biopsy can often happen on the same day or be scheduled promptly, which reduces waiting time and the anxiety that comes with it.

If the biopsy confirms a skin cancer, your doctor will discuss treatment options with you. For most non-melanoma skin cancers and early-stage melanomas, surgical excision (removing the cancer with a margin of healthy tissue) is the standard treatment and can be performed in-clinic.

After Your Check

If nothing concerning is found, your doctor will recommend a follow-up interval based on your risk profile. For most people, this is 12 months. If you have higher risk factors, they may suggest six-monthly checks.

Between appointments, keep an eye on your own skin. Look for new spots, changes to existing moles, or any sore that doesn't heal within a few weeks. The earlier something is caught, the simpler it is to treat.

Choosing Where to Go

Not all skin checks are equal. The quality of your assessment depends on the training and tools your doctor uses. Look for practitioners who are trained in dermatoscopy and who can manage the full pathway, from assessment through to diagnosis and treatment, if needed.