Dermatology Associates of Texas

To reduce your risk of developing dangerous forms of skin cancer, it is recommended that everyone has a pre-skin cancer screening annually. At Dermatology Associates of Texas, our exceptional medical and cosmetic dermatologists offer this service to detect and remove cancer before serious complications develop. To learn more, please call the nearest office and schedule an appointment.

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Skin Cancer & Pre-Skin Cancer Screening Q & A

What are skin cancer and pre-skin cancer screenings?

Skin cancer screening is an important service. It allows your provider to evaluate your skin and determine if you have lesions or other skin conditions indicating cancer. If you have cancer, your specialist can remove the affected tissue to prevent it from spreading and causing serious problems.

What are the symptoms of skin cancer?

Symptoms associated with skin cancer depend on the type of cancer you have and may include:

• Moles that change in appearance
• Pearly bumps
• Waxy bumps
• Flesh-colored lesions
• Bleeding or scabbing sores
• Red, firm nodules
• Brown moles with darker speckles
• Flat lesions
• Scaly or crusty lesions
• Moles with irregular borders
• Painful lesions
• Itching or burning lesions
• Dark-colored moles

What are the risk factors for skin cancer?

Skin cancer is a common form of cancer and can happen to anyone; however, some factors increase your risk of developing it. Examples include:

• Excessive sun exposure
• Tanning bed exposure
• Older age
• Family history of skin cancer
• Personal history of skin cancer
• Having a lot of moles
• Having fair skin
• History of sunburns
• Radiation exposure
• Toxin exposure
• Weakened immune system

Protecting your skin from the sun is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of developing skin cancer. Complete skin checks on yourself regularly so you know when to schedule medical skin cancer screenings.

What should I expect during skin cancer and pre-skin cancer screening?

During a cancer screening, your provider discusses your medical history and asks about new or changing skin lesions. They complete a full-body skin check to look for signs of cancer or precancerous skin changes.

Your dermatologist might scrape your skin, remove some affected tissue, or remove an entire lesion and send it to a lab for analysis. Your specialist can remove skin cancer layer by layer until they eliminate all of the cancer.

How often should I schedule skin cancer screening?

Your dermatologist lets you know how often to schedule skin cancer and pre-skin cancer screenings based on your age and other risk factors. It’s a good idea to schedule a skin cancer screening once a year or more often if your provider recommends it. In addition, conduct skin scans on yourself regularly to detect skin cancer in its early stages.

To schedule skin cancer and pre-skin cancer screening at Dermatology Associates of Texas, call the office or book an appointment online today.