Skin Lesion Check
A new, odd, or changing spot is an in-person assessment, not a cancer diagnosis and not a routine wait. The skin program draft starts at age 12. Younger children are seen in the kids program. Biopsy and the pathology reading are coordinated outside. This is not a dermatology department and not skin-cancer surgery. No named provider has signed this draft.
Symptoms and questions to discuss
- One half of a spot looks unlike the other half
- An irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border
- Color that varies, including brown, black, white, red, or blue
- A spot that changes in size, shape, or color, or that itches or bleeds
- A sore or growth that looks different from the person's other spots
What we check
- Size, border, colors, and whether the spot has changed
- Itch, bleeding, or a look unlike neighboring spots
- Personal or family history of skin cancer
- An in-person look, not a video diagnosis
- Whether the spot needs prompt outside biopsy
Treatment options by class
Your provider reviews appropriate options and follow-up based on your assessment.
- A written note of the spot and a plan for how soon it is rechecked or referred
- Cover-up and no tanning beds while the spot is being assessed
- Coordination of a biopsy when the spot looks suspicious
- Review of the outside pathology report by the ordering provider
When we refer
This is a primary-care assessment in the skin program, not a dermatology department or a pathology lab. A suspicious spot is not diagnosed here. Biopsy and the report stay outside, and the coordinating provider tracks the result. That handoff is not an accepted appointment. A changing or bleeding spot is seen soon. Bleeding that will not stop, or spreading redness with fever, needs emergency care. No named provider has signed this draft.
What the spot check includes
The spot is examined in person for one half unlike the other, an irregular border, more than one color, and change in size, shape, or color. Melanomas can be smaller than a pencil eraser, so size does not clear a changing spot. This page does not promise photos and does not say the spot is cancer.
A changing spot is not a screening program
Evidence is insufficient to judge a visual skin exam as a screen for adolescents and adults with no skin-cancer symptoms. That limit does not apply when a spot changes, a mole is irregular, or there is a personal or family history of skin cancer. A changing spot is assessed, not filed as routine prevention.
Biopsy and the pathology report
A suspicious spot is clarified by a tissue sample that a pathologist views under a microscope. The method is chosen where the procedure is done. It is not done here. The ordering provider tracks the report and explains the next step. A planned handoff is not an accepted appointment.
How soon a changing spot is seen
Book soon for a new spot, a spot unlike the others, or one that changes, itches, or bleeds. Do not wait months. A suspicious look is sent promptly for outside biopsy rather than watched. Not every freckle is an emergency. Go to the emergency room if bleeding will not stop or if redness spreads with fever.
Frequently asked questions
Can you tell me if this spot is cancer?
No. The visit documents the spot. It does not make a cancer diagnosis. A suspicious spot needs an outside biopsy and a pathologist's report.
Is a small spot safe because it is under 6 millimeters?
No. Melanomas are often larger than a pencil eraser when found, and they can be smaller. Change, an odd border, or mixed color still needs a look.
Do you remove or biopsy spots here?
No. Biopsy and the microscope reading are outside. This clinic does not offer skin-cancer surgery. The ordering provider reviews the report that returns.
I have no symptoms. Is a full-body check a proven program here?
No. Evidence is insufficient for screening people with no skin symptoms. This page is for a spot that is new, different, or changing, or for a person with a skin-cancer history. It is not a screening service.
Who tells me what the pathology report means?
The provider who coordinated the biopsy reviews the report and the next step. An outside office must still accept the referral. This page states no turnaround and no partner.
Sources
- What to look for: ABCDEs of melanoma — American Academy of Dermatology
- Skin Cancer: Screening — U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
- Melanoma Treatment (PDQ) — Patient Version — National Cancer Institute
Content approved by Viva Centers