History
Your dermatologist reviews personal and family history, prior biopsies, sun exposure, tanning bed use, and concerns.
Skin Cancer Screening
Detection, prevention, and peace of mind.
Full-body skin exams, mole checks, biopsy evaluation, and education for patients who want proactive skin health.
Skin cancer prevention is powerful.
Skin cancer screening is a core part of dermatology care. A full-body exam can help identify suspicious lesions, changing moles, precancerous growths, and skin cancers at an earlier stage.
At Mindful Skin Dermatology, exams are performed with privacy, respect, and clear explanation. You will have time to point out specific spots and ask questions about sun protection, monitoring, and follow-up.
Call sooner for
- A mole that is changing, bleeding, painful, or itchy
- A sore that does not heal
- A new growth that looks different from your other spots
- Rapid color, size, or shape change
What to expect
A thoughtful skin exam.
Full-body exam
Your skin is examined carefully, including areas that are easy to miss. Privacy and comfort are prioritized.
Spot evaluation
Specific lesions may be evaluated with magnification, monitoring, photography, biopsy, or treatment.
Biopsy when needed
If a lesion is concerning, a biopsy may be recommended and sent to pathology for diagnosis.
Prevention plan
Sun protection, self-check guidance, and follow-up timing are tailored to your risk factors.
Ongoing care
Patients with prior skin cancer or high-risk features may need regular monitoring.
Concerned about a spot?
Call the office or request an appointment for evaluation.
Skin cancer questions
What patients ask most.
How often should I get a skin check?
For most adults, an annual full-body skin exam is a reasonable baseline. Patients with a personal or family history of skin cancer, many moles, atypical moles, significant sun exposure, or immunosuppression often need to be seen more frequently. We will recommend an interval based on your individual risk.
What happens during a full-body skin exam?
The exam is thorough and efficient. We systematically examine the skin from scalp to feet, including areas easily missed such as the scalp, behind the ears, between the toes, and the nail beds. A dermatoscope is used to look more closely at anything that warrants it. Most exams take about fifteen to twenty minutes.
What does a concerning mole look like?
The classic warning signs are asymmetry, irregular borders, multiple or uneven colors, a diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and evolution over time. Just as important is the ugly duckling sign: a spot that simply looks different from your other moles. Anything new, changing, itching, bleeding, or not healing deserves evaluation.
Does a skin biopsy hurt?
The area is numbed with a local anesthetic first, so you should feel pressure but not pain during the procedure. The numbing injection itself stings briefly. Most biopsies take only a few minutes, and we will explain aftercare before you leave.
How long do biopsy results take?
Results typically come back within about one to two weeks, depending on the laboratory and whether additional staining is needed. We will contact you with results either way, and will walk you through what they mean and what happens next.
Can I get skin cancer if I have darker skin?
Yes. Skin cancer occurs in every skin tone. It is less common in darker skin but is frequently diagnosed later, which makes outcomes worse. It also tends to appear in less sun-exposed areas such as the palms, soles, and nail beds. Regular skin exams matter regardless of complexion.