As with any other disease, prevention is better than cure.

To reduce the risk, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that you:

• Seek shade between 10am and 4pm
• Protect your skin with clothing, a broad-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses
• Use broad-spectrum sunscreen whenever you’re outdoors, remembering to reapply it every 2 hours, especially after swimming
• Avoid tanning beds or sunburn
• Examine your own skin from head-to-toe on a regular basis
• Have an annual skin check with a trained doctor.

Call us for an appointment – a standard 15 minute appointment is sufficient.

During your annual skin cancer check, your doctor will check your skin thoroughly using advanced training and specialised tools to check your moles for any signs of cancer.

As well as a physical exam, your skin cancer check includes a discussion of risks and advice on how to protect yourself from the harmful effects of Australia’s intense sunshine.

If you’re concerned about a particular mole, then please see your GP immediately. Don’t wait for your annual skin cancer check.

It’s worth getting a mole checked if it:

• Size
• Shape
• Elevation
• Colour (including fading of colour)
• Has become itchy, painful, or bleeds

What if we find something?

Early identification makes the treatment of suspect lesions a much more simple process.

We may take a biopsy (small tissue sample) of any suspicious moles.

If skin cancer is detected, then we would almost always remove it using:

• Surgery with a local anaesthetic
• Cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen)
• Curettage (scraping)
• Cautery (burning)