Skin Checks

Safe Skin by Aspiring Medical Centre offers advanced, evidence based skin cancer detection, using techniques recommended by the Skin Cancer College of Australasia. 'Spot Check' and 'Skin Scan' use digital dermoscopy.  Both of these techniques facilitate the detection and treatment of skin cancer, before it becomes a threat to your health. Our doctors are specially trained in the technology and these procedures.

Dermoscopy: Spot Check:

Who needs a Spot Check?

You should consider a Spot Check if you are concerned about 1-2 spots on your skin and are at high risk of skin cancer, which is if you are in one of the following groups:

• You have had melanoma or another type of skin cancer yourself.
• Someone in your family has had melanoma.
• You or someone in your family have multiple, abnormal looking moles.
• If you are developing new moles.
• You are taking medications that suppress your immune system.

Why do I need a Spot Check?

The majority of skin cancer is best detected with examination of individual blemishes on your skin. 20% of melanomas develop from existing moles. Existing moles that become melanoma often look normal to the naked eye in their earliest stage. Dermoscopy gives the best opportunity to catch melanoma at its earliest stage, when it is most curable.

What does a Spot Check involve?

• We use a dermatoscope to look at 1-2 moles individually, using the benefit of 10x magnification and different waveforms of light to determine their cancerous potential.
• Individual moles can be photographed digitally if necessary.
• If, following a Spot Check, you need a Skin Snapshot appointment, our team will recommend this and arrange it with you.
• Dermoscopy doesn’t require all your skin surface to be visible at once. Pieces of clothing can be taken off individually so each mole can be examined.
• Skin in the breast, genital, and buttock areas is not routinely examined, so you will need to advise the doctor if there are spots in these areas that you would like checked.Your comfort and dignity is of utmost concern at all times.
• If the doctor identifies moles or lesions which need to be removed, we will make you a follow-up appointment for this procedure.If the doctor recommends that you have additional spots examined during the Spot Check, then we will arrange a Skin Scan appointment, which typically takes 30 minutes.
• A standard Spot Check takes approximately 15 minutes and is the cost of a standard consultation fee for enrolled patients.

Dermoscopy: Skin Scope

Who needs a Skin Scope?

You should consider a Skin Scope using dermoscopy if you are at high risk of skin cancer, which is if you are in one of the following groups:

• You have had melanoma or another type of skin cancer yourself.
• Someone in your family has had melanoma.
• You or someone in your family have multiple, abnormal looking moles.
• You have more than 50 moles.If you are developing new moles.
• You are taking medications that suppress your immune system.

Why do I need a Skin Scope?

The majority of skin cancer in New Zealand is not melanoma and this is best detected with examination by dermoscopy of individual blemishes on your skin. 20% of melanomas develop from existing moles. Existing moles that become melanoma often look normal to the naked eye in their earliest stage. Dermoscopy gives the best opportunity to catch melanoma at its earliest stage when it is most curable.

What does a Skin Scope, using Dermoscopy, involve?

• We use a state of the art dermatoscope to look at each of your moles individually, using the benefit of 10x magnification and different waveforms of light to determine their cancerous potential.
• Individual moles can be photographed digitally if necessary.
• Dermoscopy doesn’t require all your skin surface to be visible at once. Pieces of clothing can be taken off individually so each mole can be examined.
• Skin in the breast, genital, and buttock areas is not routinely examined, so you will need to advise the doctor if there are spots in these areas that you would like checked. Your comfort and dignity is of utmost concern at all times.
• If the doctor identifies moles or lesions which need to be removed, we will make you a follow-up appointment for this procedure. The cost of a 30 minute Skin Scan appointment is $165 for enrolled patients. 

Please contact our  reception team on 03 443 0725 to book an appointment, or for further information.