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A professional skin check allows a doctor to examine moles, marks, growths and other areas of concern for changes that may require monitoring, treatment, biopsy or specialist assessment. Most skin changes are harmless, but a new, unusual or changing lesion should be medically assessed rather than ignored or treated at home. Hout Bay Family Medical Centre provides skin checks and dermatological assessments as part of its GP and in-room procedure services. Our experienced doctors offer careful evaluation and appropriate follow-up for patients looking for a trusted doctor to examine a mole, skin growth or unusual lesion in Hout Bay, Cape Town.
A skin check is a medical examination of one or more areas of the skin. Depending on your reason for attending, the doctor may assess a particular mole or lesion, several areas that concern you, or recommend a broader examination of your skin.
The aim is to identify changes that may need:
A skin check does not automatically mean that a biopsy or treatment will be required. Many moles, marks and skin growths have a benign appearance and may simply need reassurance or monitoring.
Skin lesions can change gradually, and early changes may be easier to notice when you are familiar with the usual appearance of your skin. Regular self-awareness and timely medical assessment can help identify concerning lesions at an earlier stage.
Melanoma and other skin cancers can develop in areas that receive significant sun exposure, but they may also appear on less exposed parts of the body. People of all ages and skin tones should remain aware of new, changing or unusual marks.
A professional skin check is particularly important when a lesion looks different from your other moles or has started changing in size, shape, colour or behaviour.
Make an appointment with a doctor when you notice:
A changing mole, a spot that looks different from the others, or a lesion that itches, bleeds or becomes painful should be medically assessed.
These signs do not necessarily mean that skin cancer is present. Many common skin conditions can cause changes in appearance, discomfort or bleeding. A doctor’s assessment helps determine whether the area can be monitored, treated at the practice or requires further investigation.
The ABCDE guide can help patients recognise some of the changes associated with melanoma.
One half of the mole or pigmented area does not match the other half.
The edges appear irregular, uneven, scalloped or poorly defined.
The lesion contains different shades or an uneven distribution of colour. This could include variations of brown, black, tan, red, white or blue.
The lesion is increasing in size or is larger than approximately 6 mm. However, melanomas can also be smaller, so size should never be considered in isolation.
The mole or mark is changing in size, shape, colour, texture or symptoms. It may also begin itching, bleeding, crusting or becoming painful.
The ABCDE guide is useful, but not every skin cancer follows this exact pattern. Any spot that is new, changing or noticeably different from the others should be assessed, even when it does not meet every ABCDE characteristic.
Anyone can arrange an assessment when concerned about a mole or skin lesion. More regular professional checks may be considered for people with recognised risk factors or a personal history that requires ongoing monitoring.
These may include:
The appropriate frequency of professional skin checks varies according to individual risk. Your doctor can advise whether routine monitoring is appropriate and how often you should return.
Your doctor will ask about the lesion or area that concerns you. Helpful information may include:
The doctor will then examine the lesion and the surrounding skin. Depending on the reason for your appointment, you may be asked to expose additional areas so that other marks can be compared.
Please tell the doctor if you have a concerning lesion in an area covered by clothing, on the scalp, beneath a nail or in another difficult-to-see location. A doctor can only assess the areas that are brought to their attention or included in the agreed examination.
The assessment will consider features such as:
A visual examination cannot always provide a final diagnosis. If the appearance is uncertain or concerning, a biopsy or specialist examination may be recommended.
Before your skin-check appointment, it can be helpful to:
Do not apply strong acids, wart treatments or other unprescribed products to an unexplained lesion before it has been assessed.
Following the skin check, your doctor may recommend one of several next steps.
The lesion may appear benign and require no immediate treatment. You may be advised to watch for particular changes or return if its appearance or symptoms alter.
Taking a clear photograph with a date and size reference can sometimes help track visible changes. Photographs should support rather than replace professional medical assessment.
A suitable benign lesion may be treated with cryotherapy or another appropriate in-room procedure after the diagnosis and treatment options have been discussed.
A small tissue sample or the entire visible lesion may need to be removed and sent to a pathology laboratory for examination.
A dermatologist, surgeon or another specialist may need to assess the lesion when the diagnosis is uncertain, the location is complex or specialised examination and treatment are required.
Referral or biopsy does not necessarily mean that skin cancer has been diagnosed. These steps help obtain a clearer diagnosis and determine the most appropriate treatment.
A skin biopsy may be recommended when a lesion cannot be confidently identified through examination alone or when its appearance raises concern.
The area is generally numbed with a local anaesthetic before a small tissue sample or the lesion is removed. Where clinically appropriate, the sample is sent to a pathology laboratory for microscopic examination.
The doctor will explain the proposed biopsy, expected scarring, wound care, how results will be communicated and whether further treatment may be needed.
Cryotherapy uses controlled freezing to treat selected superficial skin lesions. It may be suitable for certain benign or sun-related lesions once the doctor is sufficiently confident about the diagnosis.
A suspicious or unexplained lesion should not simply be frozen without an appropriate assessment. Where there is uncertainty, the doctor may recommend monitoring, biopsy or specialist referral instead.
Becoming familiar with your own moles, freckles and marks can make it easier to notice changes. Use good lighting and a full-length mirror, and ask someone you trust to help inspect areas that are difficult to see.
Remember to check:
Note any new lesion or change in an existing mark. Photographs can be useful for comparison, but they should not be used to diagnose a lesion yourself.
Self-examination can help identify changes, but it does not replace a professional skin check when a lesion is concerning.
Reducing excessive ultraviolet exposure can help protect the skin from sun damage.
Practical measures include:
Sun protection does not eliminate all skin-cancer risk, and lesions can appear in areas that receive little direct sunlight. Continue checking your skin and arrange a medical assessment when you notice an unusual change.
Hout Bay Family Medical Centre provides professional skin checks, skin-lesion assessments, biopsies, cryotherapy and selected minor skin procedures at our family-focused GP practice.
Our doctors take a careful and personalised approach, considering your skin concern together with your medical history, symptoms, sun exposure and individual risk factors. When necessary, we can recommend monitoring, an appropriate in-room procedure, pathology testing or referral for specialist dermatological care.
Patients looking for a skin check in Hout Bay, a doctor to examine a changing mole, or assessment of an unusual skin lesion in Cape Town can arrange an appointment with Hout Bay Family Medical Centre.
The practice is conveniently located at 19 Brighton Street, on the corner of Brighton Street and Albert Road, Hout Bay, Cape Town.
Do not wait for a routine annual skin check when a lesion is changing rapidly, repeatedly bleeding, failing to heal or becoming increasingly painful.
Arrange prompt medical assessment for:
Most skin changes are not cancer, but an examination is the appropriate way to determine whether monitoring or further investigation is required.
