Book your full-body skin check now
At the very least, you should be extremely interested in them. Whether or not you should be worried depends on your age. Melanoma can occur at ANY age but a new mole is more likely to be a melanoma if you are older than 40 years. Change in a mole or a new mole CAN be an indication of melanoma, even in younger patients and it would therefore be worth getting these new moles checked.
A melanoma can appear on any part of the skin including the sole of a foot.
The highest risks for skin cancer are having had a previous skin cancer, being over the age of 50, having a fair skin type that easily burns, having family members with skin cancer and working outdoors. QIMR have developed a risk calculator which you can use at https://publications.qimrberghofer.edu.au/Custom/QSkinMelanomaRisk/Index
It is never too late to better protect your skin from further damage.
Most skin cancers are silent and need to be seen to be identified. Sometimes itch or pain can be the only clue to a skin so it is still important to have these spots checked.
Skin cancers grow at different rates depending on a lot of different things. Fortunately most skin cancers are slow enough to grow that there is time to recognise and remove them before they have become dangerous.
Skin cancer can kill you. Most skin cancer deaths are caused by melanoma however squamous cell carcinoma also kills a significant number of Australians each year. In addition to these, there are some rarer skin cancers that can also cause death.
The best way to remove a skin cancer depends on its type, location, size and the person's suitability for different types of treatments. Most often the best way to remove a skin cancer is to cut it out but in some situations it is ok to freeze, scrape or apply a cream.
Change is one of the best indicators that a mole might be dangerous. Any skin lesion that undergoes obvious colour change should be seen by a competent skin cancer doctor, regardless of the age of the patient.
Any skin blemish could potentially be a skin cancer. They can be raised or flat, small or large and of ANY colour or location on the body. For this reason, a good quality skin check requires careful examination of the skin by a doctor with a lot of expertise in the field.
It is normal for children to get new moles and generally they will look like similar to their other moles. Moles that develop in childhood can grow slowly over years but if you are at all concerned then it is best to have the mole checked.
It is very difficult for someone to ascertain whether their own mole is cancerous or not. This is because skin cancer, including melanoma, can take on almost any conceivable appearance. For this reason, moles are best checked by experienced skin cancer doctors.
Yes. Pregnancy can be a good time to get a skin check as melanoma is more likely to occur during pregnancy than when the woman is not pregnant. Furthermore, hormonal changes during pregnancy can induce moles to change or grow and any such change in an adult, pregnant or not, indicates that a skin check is required.
Yes, skin cancer can be colourless. Approximately 8% of melanomas have no colour.
Subscribe to our newsletter to keep up-to-date on skin cancer prevention and early detection and enter to win a La Roche-Posay skincare prize. The winner will be announced in our monthly newsletter and via Facebook.
We provide expert advice, full-body skin checks with dermoscopy, prompt diagnoses and personalised treatment of skin cancers and related skin conditions. Our university-trained skin cancer doctors are supported by a highly qualified team who will professionally address all your skin cancer concerns utilising the latest technology and treatment techniques.
Are you aged 40 or over?
Over 90 percent of people diagnosed with melanoma are older than 40. However, skin cancer effects people of all ages. In fact, melanoma is the most common cancer in Australians aged 15 to 39. It is estimated that 2,500 Australians aged 25-49 will be diagnosed with the disease this year.
Have you had multiple sunburns that resulted in blistering or peeling?
If you have had multiple sunburns that blistered or peeled, your risk of developing skin cancer doubles. Men are at a greater risk of getting the disease, with one in 14 men and one in 24 women expected to develop melanoma sometime in their life.
Do you have pale skin, fair hair or blue eyes?
Due to lack of skin pigmentation, Caucasian populations are at high risk of getting skin cancer. If you have fair skin, blue eyes, or light or red hair, you are in the highest risk group. However, skin cancer effects people of all ethnicities, no matter their skin colour.
Do you have a large number of freckles or moles on your body?
You have an increased risk of melanoma if there are multiple freckles or moles on your skin. It is important to get your skin checked frequently by your doctor, since early detection offers the best survival rate. Five Australians die every day from melanoma.
Has anyone in your family had melanoma?
While most skin cancers result from sun exposure, some melanomas develop due to an inherited gene. Your risk may be higher if someone in your family has had melanoma.
Have you had a melanoma or another type of skin cancer before?
You are at higher risk of developing further skin cancers if you have had one previously. A history of skin cancer indicates that your skin might be prone to the disease, usually from excessive sun damage or due to a genetic disposition.
Do you have any skin spots that look different to the others?
A mole could be a melanoma if it is changing in size, shape or colour, or looks different to the others on your body. It is important to become familiar with your own skin and notice any sores that won’t heal, small red or white lumps, or new freckles that appear or change over weeks or months.
Do you work outdoors or frequently enjoy outdoor activities?
If you work outdoors, or are often outside, you are exposed to the sun’s UV light, which permanently damages your skin cells and causes irreversible harm that can lead to skin cancer. UV light is responsible for 90 percent of all skin cancers. In Australia, one in eight adults and one in five teenagers are sunburnt on an average summer weekend.
Do you bleed easily, even with very little abrasion?
A sign of skin cancer is easy or persisting bleeding, even from small abrasions on your body. For example, a small scratch on your skin might bleed when you towel off after a shower, or you might have lingering bleeding from your face after shaving.
Have you used a solarium bed to tan your skin?
Studies have shown that using a solarium before the age of 35 increases your risk of melanoma by 59 percent, because the UV radiation emitted from solariums is six times stronger than the midday sun.
However, it is important to regularly self-assess your skin and get thorough head-to-toe skin checks by a skilled physician at least once a year. Skin cancer can affect anyone of any skin type and can occur anywhere on the body, often showing no symptoms until an advanced stage.
Answering ‘yes’ to at least one question means you are part of the high-risk group and it is possible that you will develop skin cancer in your life time. It is recommended that you see your doctor for regular check-ups at least once a year. The key to successful skin cancer treatment is early detection.
A head-to-toe skin check with a skilled doctor is the only way to know your skin is healthy. For your peace of mind continue to get regular check-ups at least once a year. Ninety-nine percent of all skin cancers are curable if found early.
Cannot find a centre near your place?
Click here to register your name and we will notify you if we build a centre near your place.
Please enable location services or enter your postal code to view your nearest centre.
You'll need to give the site permission to see your location.
You might need to change you change your location settings on your computer. To turn them on:
Sorry, your postal code is not on our list.
Please wait while the page is being reloaded.
Please enable location services on your device or enter your postal code to view your nearest centre.
We are sorry. At the moment, there is no centre close to your location but we work hard at adding more locations. Click here to leave your contact details so we can notify you when we have a centre in your area.
Location services are disabled.