What To Expect When You Go For A Skin Cancer Check, According To Our Dermatologist
There may not be anything quite as relaxing as sunbathing in direct sunlight, but unfortunately, too much sun exposure can lead to some pretty serious consequences. Skin cancer is the "most common" form of cancer, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, with one-fifth of Americans being diagnosed with the disease by the time they turn 70. The most common kinds of skin cancers are basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, which are less likely to spread to other areas of the body than the less common but more deadly melanoma, per WebMD. Malignant melanoma is more likely to spread, but when caught early, the five-year survival rate is actually quite high, coming in at 99% (via the Skin Cancer Foundation). Hence, having regular skin cancer checks is incredibly important.
Though they can be life-saving, skin cancer checks can also, understandably, be intimidating. To find out exactly what goes down at a regular check, Glam spoke exclusively to top New York City-based dermatologist and founder of MOMADerm Dr. Charles Puza, who's garnered a large following on Instagram and TikTok thanks to his dermatological deep dives. While talking us through the painless skin check process, which should only "last about five to 10 minutes," Dr. Puza also revealed that practicing sun safety throughout the year, including wearing sunscreen in the winter, can greatly reduce the chances of developing skin cancer.
What happens at a skin check?
Dr. Charles Puza explained that the first step in a skin cancer check is for the patient to remove their clothing, but you should be provided with a patient gown. "The big question is if you will be removing your bra and/or underwear," he told Glam exclusively. "As dermatologists, we look at ALL skin and highly encourage every patient to have a complete, full-body exam." While you're under no obligation to remove your underwear, Dr. Puza stressed that it's possible to develop skin cancer in intimate areas, even without direct sun exposure. The good news is that checks "can be as quick as 10 minutes," so a brief period of feeling uncomfortable may be enough to make a diagnosis that could save your life.
Aside from undressing, the skin check itself isn't invasive. "We often use our dermatoscope to magnify moles and check their pigment pattern," Dr. Puza shared. "During the skin exam, I also take that time to review the patient's sun exposure history and current sun protection practices."
If your dermatologist suspects skin cancer, they will perform a procedure that involves a "little poke with a needle for lidocaine, a biopsy that is painless, and sometimes one to two stitches." You should get the results in around one week. "If the biopsy confirms skin cancer, the rest/remaining skin cancer must be removed with an in-office procedure, which varies on length and complexity based on skin cancer type and lesion location," Dr. Puza explained.
How to prevent skin cancer
"The absolute best tip for preventing skin cancer is to protect yourself from the sun," Dr. Charles Puza confirmed in our exclusive chat. "Skin cancer occurs from most intense bouts of sun (a sunburn) and large amounts of cumulative sun exposure (never burning, but always getting a little bit of sun)." Sun safety involves using sunscreen, and Dr. Puza recommended "using SPF30 every single day on exposed parts of [the] body (face, neck, and arms)." However, you should use an even higher SPF for a day at the beach or other situations where you'll be getting a lot of sun exposure. "We used to counsel that SPF50 was enough, but in reality, no one uses enough SPF to reach that protection level," he shared, adding that "you need about a shot glass (1.5 ounces) of SPF for most bodies." Don't forget to reapply your SPF "every two hours when outdoors and at least 30 to 45 minutes prior to water exposure."
Dr. Puza also advised nicotinamide or niacinamide supplements as a way of lowering the risk of skin cancer outside of wearing SPF, explaining, "A large cohort study confirmed that 500mg twice daily reduces [the] risk of non-melanoma skin cancer by 25% (but only while actively taking the supplement)." While these methods help to prevent skin cancer, regular skin checks reduce the chance of catching skin cancer too late. Moreover, Dr. Puza pointed out that if you have "a family history of skin cancer, lots of sun exposure, or numerous moles," you should have a skin check at least once per year.