Skin Cancer Spot Checks vs Full-Body Exam

As the days get longer, we spend more and more time in the garden, taking lunch outside, hiking, or heading to the lake for some fun in the sun. And it’s that sun exposure that can be so tricky! It feels good, and our bodies generate vitamin D from it, but overexposure to those UV rays can cause painful sunburns and, worse yet, skin cancer. It is the most common type of cancer in the U.S., and last year, 97,610 people were diagnosed with melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Sadly, 7,990 people died from melanoma last year as well. And yet, with early detection and treatment, most types of skin cancer have very high survival rates! Here at Apex Dermatology, we are thrilled to be part of so many of these survival stories in Northeast Ohio.

If you have any spot you are concerned about right now.

The sooner, the better! Even melanoma, the most severe type of skin cancer, has a 93.5 survivability rate if the cancer is caught and treated early! Same-day skin cancer spot check appointments are available if you have a spot that looks worrisome. Do not wait!

Now let’s discuss the two main types of skin cancer exams:

• Skin Cancer Spot Check: we check one spot, at any time of the year, if you see a spot that shows any changes in the “ABCDEs” described below.
• Full-body exams: A routine, annual screening of the entire surface of your skin, from head to toe.

Let’s dive into how these exams are different, yet complementary and essential for beating skin cancer:

A skin cancer spot check is part of Apex’s “SPOTcheck” program and is a targeted, same-day appointment to evaluate one suspicious lesion. It takes only about 5 minutes and is there for you if you notice a concerning spot on your skin. If you have noticed a spot that shows the ABCDE skin cancer characteristics described below, you should call us at (833) 279-SKIN today to schedule a cancer spot exam:

• A for Asymmetry: One part of the spot is bigger or differently shaped than the other. It’s not symmetrical.
• B for Border: The border of the spot is scalloped, poorly defined, or irregular in any way.
• C for Color: The spot has more than one color in different areas. For example, there are different shades of brown, black, or tan. It may also have areas that are blue, red, or white.
• D for Diameter: The spot is bigger than a pencil eraser (about 6 millimeters). A cancerous spot can be smaller than this if it has any of the other ABCs or Es!
• E for Evolving: The spot has changed or is changing. For example, it may be getting bigger, changing in color, border, or symmetry.

“A skin cancer spot check is recommended for any lesion that has developed more than a month ago and is developing worrisome signs,” explains McKernan. She elaborates further: “Lesions that bleed when picked, cause pain, are evolving, or are turning red and scaly are lesions that should not wait until the patient’s next full body exam! This is especially true for those with a history of skin cancer because an earlier detection means a better prognosis. Any patient with a concerning spot should call and utilize our same-day appointments to have these spots evaluated and treated faster.”

McKernan also recommends taking the Apex Dermatology skin cancer risk assessment quiz. Although anyone with any skin type or tone can get skin cancer, certain people do have a higher risk than others. People who spend a lot of time in the sun, or have a history of sunburning easily are particularly at risk, as are those with fairer skin tones and people who already have a lot of moles or a family history of skin cancer.

If you have noticed a suspicious-looking spot anywhere on your body, call (833) 279-SKIN to schedule a same-day skin cancer spot check. During that time, one of our dermatologists or PAs will examine the spot and be able to take certain actions during that 5-minute appointment.

“I conduct a thorough skin cancer spot screening by utilizing my dermatoscope and performing biopsies the same day for those lesions that warrant a closer look under a microscope,” explains McKernan. “A dermatoscope is a hand-held device that allows me to evaluate skin structures to the depth of the reticular dermis (the deepest dermis layer). This device allows me to see the subsurface structures that may lead to a more definitive diagnosis.”

McKernan says that the shape and nature of the blood vessels in the lower level of the dermis can indicate different potential diagnoses. For example, if she sees that the suspicious spot has an arborizing blood vessel, it may indicate basal cell carcinoma. Corkscrew-shaped vessels can indicate melanoma. Comma-shaped blood vessels are characteristic of benign moles. If the skin cancer spot check indicates something concerning, we will start the diagnostic process immediately during the appointment.

“When I observe a suspicious lesion, a same-day biopsy is crucial to leading to the best prognosis for the patient,” says McKernan. “We use local numbing agents and perform either a shave biopsy or a punch biopsy using specialized blades to lead to the best healing process while removing the lesion for a dermatopathologist to examine under a microscope. Within 2 weeks, patients have their results back and are ready to progress to the next step in treatment, whether that is the Mohs procedure, liquid nitrogen, or something else.”

The most important benefit of getting a suspicious spot checked promptly is that early skin cancer detection and treatment can save your life or the life of a loved one! Timely skin cancer treatment can prevent skin cancer from spreading and becoming harder to treat. Vigilance is especially important for high-risk individuals.

Furthermore, it is a quick, on-demand appointment. Typically, if you call us at (833) 279-SKIN anywhere in Northeast Ohio, skin cancer spot checks can be arranged for the same day. We follow all American Academy of Dermatology guidelines on skin cancer spot checks.

“With our same-day appointments, we can have those lesions treated properly and offer our patients the best prognoses and treatment plans,” says McKernan.

The appointment usually only lasts for about 5 minutes to check that spot. If we don’t find anything worrisome, you can get right back to your regularly scheduled activities.

You can even get a free skin cancer spot check once a year on “Melanoma Monday”, and during other community events and special promotion days.

If we find something during a skin cancer spot check and a biopsy or excision is needed, the appointment will last longer than 5 minutes, of course. That additional time, however, is essential in the race to diagnose skin cancer and get it treated quickly. If that is the case, we will advise you on the next steps for treatment and set follow-up appointments to get the ball rolling.

“My advice is that this is a necessary preventative exam to keep you healthy,” says McKernan. “I always say it’s not the exam to be afraid of or even the diagnosis of skin cancer. It is the ‘what if’ factor that should be scary. What if you didn’t get that spot checked? These what-ifs can be erased by getting your spots checked promptly and attending your regular full-body exam so you don’t have to worry about the unknown. Just tackle the known!”

Speaking of full-body exams, this is another important, yet routine appointment you should get every year to check for spots you may not have noticed or can’t see because they may have developed in difficult-to-see areas. Skin cancer can happen to anyone, so everyone should get a yearly full-body exam. Those with a higher risk of skin cancer should especially schedule their full body exams but expect that your dermatologist may schedule them more often because of that risk.

“A full body exam should be done yearly to have chronic conditions monitored,” says McKernan. “This includes actinic damage, which is the sun damage we all develop from spending time in the sun. Some patients need full body exams more frequently than others, such as those with a history of skin cancer. Because we know these individuals have enough actinic damage to progress to more aggressive lesions, we need to monitor them more closely so that skin cancers are caught in their earliest stages. It also helps us check for concerning lesions that have developed without the patient’s knowledge, thus leading to earlier detection and prevention of skin cancers!” stresses McKernan.

“When performing a full body exam, I have all my patients disrobe and change into a gown so that all areas can be addressed while maintaining modesty,” explains McKernan. “I typically have a large handheld polarized white light called a Lumio2 and a dermatoscope with me. I will use these tools to provide accurate visualization of skin lesions. I will have the patient stand up, remove socks, lie down, or change positions as needed to complete a full examination. This way, all skin areas can be addressed and evaluated.”

Keeping your full body exam appointment at regularly scheduled intervals ensures that any skin cancer is caught early and that we can help with any other skin conditions. It’s a systematic approach to ensure comprehensive health for your body’s largest organ. And although it takes more time than a 5-minute spot check, it’s worth the time.

A full body skin exam gives patients peace of mind knowing they are not alone in their skin journey,” says McKernan. “As providers, we are right there beside you, helping you achieve the healthiest skin and preventing lesions that could lead to cancer. By monitoring patients, we take the stress off of patients to recognize lesions that need to be biopsied or treated. At full-body skin exams, we are happy to provide patients with healthier skin in a low-stress environment!”

Although skin cancer spot checks and full body exams are different, they both have one critically important thing in common: they can both catch skin cancer early when it can be treated with a very high success rate. Everybody can benefit from both exams and, though both are essential, they differ in timing and focus:

• A skin cancer spot check is just for one concerning, irregular spot, and it can happen at any time of the year! Schedule a skin cancer spot check the moment you realize a spot has changed, or is displaying any of the ABCDEs discussed earlier.
• A full-body exam is a regularly scheduled, routine exam that checks the skin from head to toe. Typically, this should happen once a year for people with an average risk of skin cancer, but more frequently for those with higher risk factors or a history of skin cancer. For these people, a full-body exam may be recommended every few months.

Skin cancer spot checks and full body exams work together to help people avoid, detect, and treat skin cancer at its earliest stages. Do not wait for your next scheduled full-body exam to address a spot that worries you. If your next annual exam isn’t for another four months, a cancerous spot may take that time to spread and get worse. So don’t wait until the next appointment, call now for a cancer spot exam: (833) 279-SKIN.

At the same time, don’t cancel a full-body exam just because you can’t see any concerning spots. Skin cancer can manifest in areas you can’t see easily (like on your back), so these annual screenings are designed to catch those areas and address them quickly.

McKernan stresses that time is of the essence when dealing with skin cancer:

“One common misconception I see in skin cancer spot checks is patients self-diagnosing skin cancers as either skin infections or rashes,” she says.” They use old, prescribed medication to try and remedy the lesions. Then they inadvertently worsen the prognosis for their skin lesions. Many times, patients wait months to see if their home treatment plan works before coming in for a diagnosis.”

By that time, she warns, skin cancer lesions often get worse and spread, meaning that any needed treatments can become more invasive and costly, and the prognosis may be worse. It’s a life-or-death matter.

Here at Apex Dermatology, we are passionate about helping our patients optimal health through total skin health. Catching and treating skin cancer as early as possible is a crucial aspect of this mission. McKernan underscores that both skin cancer spot checks and full-body exams are important for everyone who has skin!

“I was seeing a patient for their full-body skin exam and educated them that everyone should have a full-body skin exam so that spots can begin being monitored,” she explained. “My patient mentioned that she has a son in his late 20s who had never been seen before. Luckily, she was able to convince him to come in and get his lesions checked because, during the exam, a suspicious mole was biopsied and returned a melanoma in situ!” That mole was caught and removed early, before it had spread, and her son recovered.

McKernan is passionate about helping her patients and is heavily involved in continuing education in the dermatology research community and learning the latest science about dermatology, so she can pass that knowledge on to her patients.

“Providing education on regular skin exams and proper sun protection is rewarding and interesting!” says McKernan. “I provide educational materials, sunscreen samples, and technology to explain the importance of skin exams and sun protection. I will give handouts on what actinic damage is, have patients try different types of sunscreens, so they can find what feels best to them, and pull up pictures of different types of skin cancers on the internet, so patients may be aware of what to look for. A well-informed patient means a healthy patient! And with same-day appointments, having skin lesions checked has never been more convenient, and we can then discuss the treatment plan together!”

Whether you need to have a spot checked immediately, want to schedule a full-body exam, or have any questions about skin health and preventing skin cancer

Rachel McKernan is a licensed Ohio State Physician Assistant and is certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. She received her Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree and was an inductee of the Pi Alpha Honor Society upon completion of her Master of Physician Assistant Science degree at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Rachel has been working in the field of dermatology since graduation and finds fulfillment in helping individuals in the Tri-state Area maintain healthy skin by treating a variety of acute and chronic skin conditions. She encourages regular skin cancer screenings and enjoys educating her patients on the importance of prevention.

Rachel has completed Apex Dermatology’s residency training program with dermatology and aesthetic providers across Northeast Ohio. She also has earned her Diplomate Fellowship from the Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants.