- Phone 078848053
A skin check is an important part of keeping well in New Zealand (NZ). NZ has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, driven by high Ultra Violet (UV) levels and an outdoor lifestyle. A thorough professional skin check is a great way to identify suspicious spots or moles as early detection can save lives.
So what is a “skin check”?
A skin check is a review of all the skin on your body, in a systematic way. This allows us to check all the lesions on your skin. It can take up to 30 minutes to do properly. When performing a skin check we use a special light called a dermatoscope, this has a high-quality magnifying lens and a powerful lighting system. It visualises the skin structures and patterns in much greater detail than the naked eye, which allows earlier and more accurate diagnosis of skin cancer.
Our clinics involve a doctor and a nurse, and if you need a biopsy or a removal, we plan to be able to offer this at the same clinic, or quite quickly afterwards.
We are really pleased to be able to offer this service. Devoting 30 mins to a proper skin check means it can be done properly, rather than trying to squeeze it into a standard 15 min appointment, with other conditions to address.
We aim to pick up skin cancers and also lesions that are premalignant. This means lesions that may not be cancerous yet but may become so in the future. If we can treat these early, we can prevent the lesion developing into a cancer.
How to prepare for your skin check
What to expect:
Please remove all makeup
Please ensure all nail polish is removed
All patients have the right to a chaperone with them for any appointment
You are welcome to bring a support person
You will be asked to undress to your underwear
Privacy sheets are available. With your permission underwear will be lifted to view the underlying skin. Examination of breast, genitalia, perianal areas will not occur unless you specifically request it or have identified an area of concern.
So how often do we need to have our skin checked?
This differs for each patient depending on your risk. This is affected by your sun exposure, your skin type and your family history. At your first skin check, you can discuss with the doctor what your risk is, and when you should have your next one done.
Dermnet.org.nz has lots of information about skin checks. It also has a full description of what to expect when you have a skin check done.
A regular skin check will put your mind at rest, enabling you to get on with life without any niggling doubts
Please note this service is open to “casual” patients, you do not have to be enrolled with Health Te Aroha to access this service.
Enquire with clinics@health-tearoha.co.nz as to when the next clinic is scheduled.
Consultation Fees
A comprehensive skin check is $150
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