Your doctor will begin by asking you about your health history, including your family and personal history of skin cancer, your lifestyle habits and your sun exposure. This helps the doctor to better understand your skin cancer risk and may identify problem areas they need to pay special attention to during your skin check.
You will then undress down to your underwear, or whatever you're comfortable with. A modesty sheet can be provided, upon request, to cover sections of your body at a time, so you are never fully exposed. You may also choose to bring a chaperone with you to accompany you in the room during the skin check.
Then the doctor will systematically examine your entire skin surface using a dermatoscope, which helps them to see under the skin's surface for any signs of malignant cells. The skin under your underwear is not routinely checked unless you have specific concerns there. If there is a lesion under your underwear you are unsure about, please let the doctor know.
Suspicious lesions are noted during the skin exam and returned to for further evaluation with dermoscopy and possibly a biopsy to confirm the doctor's diagnosis.
