Dermatologist And Cancer Concerns

If you have any concerns about skin cancer, a dermatologist can set your mind at ease and help you navigate the situation. Most people notice something on the skin that causes alarm but they just aren't sure whether or not to see a specialist. At the very least, it is important to make an appointment with your primary care physician. He or she can help you decide whether or not to see a specialist. In most cases, it is always better to err on the side of caution.

Risk Factors:
If you or someone in your family has experienced skin cancer in the past, it is important for you to make regular appointments with a dermatologist. He or she can keep an eye on your skin and look our for certain warning signs of melanoma. These regular visits are set up to not only keep you healthy but also to provide you with some peace of mind.

There are other risk factors that tend to be a concern. If you have very fair skin and tend to sunburn easily or blister or you are very sun sensitive, you should be checked regularly. If you are have unusual looking moles or even an excess number of moles, you should be checked regularly. These checkups become even more important if you are noticing that some of the moles are either changing shape or size, or both.

Less common factors include people that have a history of x-ray treatments to deal with acne or those taking certain types of medications. While none of these factors will guarantee that you will experience skin cancer, they are factors that should be discussed with your dermatologist on a regular basis. No matter what the cost of the appointment, each visit is well worth it. Remember that the earlier a problem is detected, the more opportunity you and your dermatologist have to handle it.

Suspicious Lesions:
Self-examination is just one way that you can prevent skin cancer. Once the disease spreads, the prognosis often takes a negative downturn so that goal is to look for anything out of the ordinary or suspicious on a regular basis. This disease is no respecter of persons and affects people of all ages, races, and socioeconomic statuses.

As you are looking over your body, keep an eye out for certain things that would warrant a visit to the dermatologist. These things include moles that are growing, places on the skin that tend to either bleed or scab up but never seem to heal and new moles that are starting to pop up. In each of these situations, an examination by a specialist is essential. If you see something that does not fit into any of these specific categories but you think it looks unusual, contact your doctor right away and make an appointment.