Strange mole changes after spending time in the sun? Get your moles checked at Clinica London! – Part 2

Strange mole changes after spending time in the sun? Get your moles checked at Clinica London! – Part 2

Skin melanoma

A cancerous mole is known as melanoma. A skin melanoma can kill. Fortunately, there are many advances in the management of skin cancer, including melanoma, and patients are living for many, many more years in remission. The problem with skin melanoma is that it is painless and people can often overlook it before they see a consultant dermatologist, by which time the melanoma has grown too thick or too deep, and has spread to other parts of your body and may put your life at risk.Dr Jennifer Crawley, a consultant dermatologist at Clinica London, does a mole check. You should be very vigilant about moles on your skin, and if you have any concerns or queries, and if the moles are changing, then it is very important that you get them checked by Jennifer Crawley. Dr Crawley will take a detailed history from you, particularly about the sun exposure you have had over your lifetime. She will ask whether you have any family history of skin cancer, then she will undertake a thorough examination of your skin. Not only will she look at the lesion or mole that you are concerned about, but she will also examine the rest of your skin in general, to make sure that there are no other areas that may have been affected by UV damage over the years. Dr Crawley uses a dermatoscope to help her assess moles on your skin, and if she finds one or two that appear abnormal, she will then do an excision (removal) of the mole, so that the pathologist can look at it under the microscope. Once the result comes back, she will discuss it with you and plan any further surgery, should it be required.