Blowing off routine exams can seem harmless, but your annual skin check is not something to skip. Here are 4 reasons to keep up with your yearly skin exam.
Skin checks are quick and painless
Unlike your bi-annual dentist appointment, you won’t leave your annual skin check with sore gums and the aftertaste of fluoride.
A skin exam takes only twenty minutes and you won’t be poked or prodded unless we find a particularly suspicious spot that we want to send to the lab for testing. Most of the time, this is simply a step we take precaution, but if we find something suspicious we’ll scrape or shave a small sample of the lesion and send it in for analysis.
Skin checks are informative
Your body changes over time. New moles, growths, and lesions can appear over time — but don’t panic! Most of these new dark spots are harmless; a skin check will confirm this.
During your annual appointment, we’ll take note of any new spots by taking photographs of the images and then comparing the images in subsequent years to come to check for any shifts in size, color, and texture. By keeping a consistent record of your skin, you’ll always be informed about your skin and the changes that occur. Think of the skin exam as insurance for your body: You hope nothing has changed, but it’s important to be covered one way or the other.
Skin checks can boost your confidence
In addition to checking for harmful and potentially dangerous lesions, we can also discuss insecurities or other issues that come up as a result of dark spots and lesions. Hate a mole? We have tools to get rid of that. Insecure about a skin tag? Let’s cut it off.
These aren’t medical emergencies, but we know how important it is to feel good in the skin you’re in. If you aren’t a regular at the dermatologist, your annual skin check is a great time to discuss any aesthetic concerns with us.
Skin checks can save your life
Easily the most important reason to have your annual exam, it could literally save your life. During your skin check, we’ll check for abnormal lesions and run biopsies on anything that looks suspicious. To check this we use a dermatoscope, which looks like a combination of a magnifying glass and flashlight and allows us to see the lesion more clearly.
The biopsy will be sent to the lab where results can take up to 10 days. Regardless, we’ll keep you in the loop at every step of the process. Catching melanoma early is critical to surviving this deadly cancer and your annual skin check is one way to ensure your safety.
Ready to book yours? Give us a call, we’re here to help you every step of the way. Request an appointment for a skin cancer check by contacting Boise Dermatology & Medspa online or by phone at (208) 888-0660.