Skin Checks LP - Cutis Dermatology

At a glance

Skin Check

Skin cancer

Dermatologists perform Skin Cancer Check at a specialist level. We apply clinical, dermatoscopic & photographic methods to map & follow up lesions of concern. Early detection of skin cancer confers a higher survival rate.

Best Outcomes: Early detection

Procedure time: NA

Duration of results: Lifetime follow up

Back to work: Variable

Recovery: NA

Anaesthetic: NA

Your specialist: Dermatologist

How much: $

Melonoma

Melanoma is the most dangerous of all the skin cancers & accounts for the majority of skin cancer deaths. Queensland has one of the highest rates of melanoma skin cancer in the world. Detected early, the cure rate is very high. Early detection saves lives.

Best Outcomes: Early detection

Procedure time: 15-30 minutes

Duration of results: Remission in most

Back to work: 0-7 days

Recovery: 0-10 days

Anaesthetic: Local

Your specialist: Dermatologist

How much: $ Medicare

At a glance

What type of moles are there?

Moles are by definition, benign (noncancerous) growths. They occur in babies, children & adults. The classification is complex. Most moles have an extremely low chance of turning into skin cancer. A simple classification is:

Junctional & compound naevi- most common moles
Intradermal naevi- presents as skin-coloured moles
Dysplastic moles- abnormal moles with a potential for malignant change
Congenital melanocytic nevus- moles since birth
Blue nevus- deep blue moles, frequently confused with melanoma
Collision naevi- characteristics of two or more skin lesions

Key Points

Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world

Queensland has the highest incidence of melanoma in Australia

Moles will increase in size & number until your mid 30s

A sudden change in shape, colour, border, or size may point toward malignant change

Early detection of melanoma increases survival rate

What are my risks of cancer

If I have a lot of moles?

It’s all about numbers, probability & genetics.

A large number of moles can act as a marker for developing melanoma at each mole has a chance of malignant change. Other factors that come into play include:

Race & ethnicity. Fair skin types have increased incidence of skin cancer
Genetics: a family history of skin cancer increases your odds of developing both melanoma & non-melanoma skin cancer.
Sun exposure & UV radiation, including sunburn increases the odds.
Immune suppression increases both melanoma & NMSC rate.

Mole monitoring

And what is the ABCD rule?

The ABCD rule is a guide to early detection of melanoma based upon probability & not possibility. It stands for:

Asymmetry – the mirror image of one half is different from the other.
Border changes – the edges are often ragged or irregular in outline; the pigment may spread into the surrounding skin, blurring the outline of the mole.
Colour – the colour is uneven, consisting of many shades of black, brown, & possibly even red, pink & blue.
Diameter – increase in the size of the mole, with a diameter of 6 mm or more.

This rule will not pick out every single melanoma, however 90% of cases follow this pattern.

Cutis Dermatology is conveniently located in the Western Suburbs of Brisbane, 10 minutes from the CBD & 20 minutes from the airport.

You will find yourself in a very comfortable & welcoming environment where our experienced staff are equipped to assist with your medical, skin cancer, & cosmetic skin treatments, providing the best results possible for your skin.

Each clinic has a main operating theatre & 4 accredited laser suites. We also have phototherapy, patch testing facilities, photodynamic therapy, as well as over 35 laser & energy devices.

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Experience Cutis and our trained staff

Our doctors each have their own specific interests and specialty, grown through their respective studies and experience, and further developed through consistent personal study. This enables us to provide expert guidance and treatments to each patient, no matter their concerns! All our dermatologists take the time to get to know each patient and their individual needs and concerns, and work with them towards developing the best treatment plan for them!

Skin Cancer and Melanoma Check

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