A full body skin check is essential to maintain healthy skin. At Borealis Dermatology, we can provide annual exams and regular skin checks to determine skin conditions, renew good skincare habits, and provide appropriate treatments.
What is a Skin Check?
Skin checks are an exam that allows dermatologists to examine your skin, usually the entire body, and its current condition. Skin checks allow us to observe any concerns or changes you may have and diagnose conditions before they become untreatable. These are essential in keeping you and your skin healthy.
Did you know…
There are certain risk factors that your providers lookout for during a full body skin exam. For example, risks of skin cancer include having a light skin tone, skin that burns easily, a family history of skin cancer, large amounts of moles, and even light-colored eyes. Because our providers specialize in disorders of the skin, we can help prevent the onset of skin conditions ahead of time and help save lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens during a Skin Check?
Your medical assistant will bring you into the exam room, take a brief medical history, and give you a full gown to change into. Once you are ready, your provider will come into the room and begin the skin check. Your entire skin will be checked, from head to toe, for any suspicious or concerning moles and/or lesions. Your provider may use a small hand-held magnifying scope or flash light to examine any concerns thoroughly. If necessary, your provider will recommend a minor biopsy to take a sample of your skin for a pathological examination. Biopsies will help confidently and scientifically rule out skin conditions in concern.
What are we looking for during a Skin Check?
For any moles on the body, our providers use American Academy of Dermatology’s ABCDE method to detect any irregularities. Loss of pigmentation, redness, swelling, tenderness, changes in skin texture, and scars are also examined to ensure your skin health.
What happens after a Skin Check?
Depending on your skin condition, the after-exam steps can vary. If your skin looks healthy and there are no concerning lesions, your provider will recommend you to come back after a year. If your provider is concerned about certain moles or lesions, your provider will recommend a biopsy for further evaluation. Once the reports from your biopsy come back, our team will contact you and review it with you regardless of the outcome. For other skin concerns, such as rosacea, acne, keloid scars, and eczema, your provider will discuss any medical and/or cosmetic treatment options.
If you have a family history of skin issues, have been out in the sun, or have never had a skin exam before, you should come into our office for a full body skin exam! Borealis Dermatology offers two convenient locations to provide various treatments for our patients in the Queens and Long Island areas. You can experience the highest medical and aesthetic expertise available through our treatment options by visiting our clinic.