3 Actions To Get Ready For A Skin Cancer Appointment
According to the Cancer Council, skin cancer will occur in every two out of three Australians by 70 with nearly 750,000 people treated every year. While it's devastating to get a skin cancer diagnosis, early detection and intervention ensures you can live a long and high-quality life, which is why you shouldn't ignore your skin. If you think you may have skin cancer, it's important to get checked. Here are some actions to help you get ready for your appointment:
Make Sure Skin Is as Natural as Possible
In order for the dermatologist to make a proper assessment of your skin, it's important that it is as natural as possible. This means no nail polish, makeup, rings or anything else that can get in the way of a proper assessment. You may want to consider shaving off hair in areas of concern so the doctor has a clear view of what is bothering you. This may need to be done in advance of your appointment, so you may want to ring the skin cancer clinic to find out exactly when you need to do this. Spray tans can also be misleading, so find out how long you need to wait before scheduling your appointment. It's important for your skin to be as natural as possible for a proper diagnosis.
Share Details of Any Medications or Treatments You Have Undergone
If you are currently taking medication for anything or if you have undergone any major treatments in past for cancers or some other issue, make sure you bring those details along with you so the doctor can make an accurate diagnosis with all the information possible. If you've been asked to take a blood test or any other test, bring copies of the results along with you. The more information you share, the easier it will be to arrive at a solution to your concerns.
Keep Your Family Medical History in Mind
You need to be prepared for the doctor to ask you questions about family members who may have had skin cancer or any other form of cancer in the past. Your risk increases if a close family member has had skin cancer previously, so it's important that you seek out this information if you don't already have it. Your doctor may even have questions about how often you use sun protection and whether you go tanning or spend time outdoors. Take the time to consider your lifestyle so you can answer as honestly as possible.
Follow these actions to get ready for your skin cancer appointment.
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