Skin Cancer Diagnosis
Skin cancer diagnosis requires specialist expertise both from the dermatologist and the pathologist involved in your care. We have high level expertise in the practice, both in the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.
Your first visit
When you first attend the clinic, we shall endeavour to assess your sun exposure pattern and your Fitzpatrick skin type - which is it's ability to burn in the sun. Most patients will be invited to have a full skin examination, which will identify the extent of sun damage to your skin and assess any skin growths causing concern.
Dermatoscopy/Dermoscopy
Typically, your dermatologist will use specialised polarised lights to examine your skin growth, known as a dermatoscope. These instruments provide a high level of accuracy when assessing the skin, in expert hands. There is no additional charge for dermatoscopic examination.
Skin Biopsy
If required, a small sample of skin will be taken to send to an expert skin pathologist for analysis. This procedure is performed under local anaesthetic and takes just a few minutes to perform.
Diagnsosis
The diagnosis of skin cancer is complex and requires close collaboration between expert dermatologists and skin pathologists. We shall make every effort to provide the most accurate level of diagnosis, with additional specialised tests performed as necessary. When your test results are available, we shall explain them to you in easy to understand terms and provide any information leaflets and web links to help you understand the diagnoiss. We also have a skin cancer clinical nurse specialist, which is a unique feature of our practice, to provide support, reassure and advice.
Treatment
The test results from your biopsy may indicate that further treatment is required. If this is the case, your dermatologist will discuss this with you and you will be able to ask questions about your condition and treatment plan.