Most of us have tried to self-diagnose our problems by Googling our symptoms. Some researchers have even found that about 72% of the people on the internet have searched for health-related information at least once.
We already know that there a huge problem in this practice. Not all the results in our searches are credible and they just cause us to panic for no real reason at all. Don’t get us wrong, the internet is a great place to carry out several types of searches. Replacing professional kinds of diagnosis, however, isn’t one of them.
So what should you do instead? We recommend that you get yourself a full-body skin check by booking an appointment with a dermatologist in Southlake, TX.
If you haven’t gotten a full-body skin anytime soon – or ever for that matter, we’re not going to guilt trip you. We will tell you, however, that it’s quick, painless and really worth your while. That being said, here is everything your dermatologist in Southlake, TX wants you to know about a full-body skin check.
Everything You Wanted to Know About a Skin Check
1. Is There Anything You Can Do To Be Ready?
Almost every dermatologist in Southlake, TX will want you to remove your nail polish and wear your hair down. This is because they will want to examine your scalp and your nails are an important part of your exam too.
In the room of your dermatologist in Southlake, TX, you will have to remove all your clothes and slip into the robe provided to you. It might be alright to wear some light make-up, but you should bring some things along with you for touchups.
2. Will I Have To Stand Completely Naked?
When your dermatologist in Southlake, TX says full-body skin check up, they really mean it. They will begin from your scalp and move down to your face, ears, lips, inner mouth, neck, chest, arms, nails, palms, armpits, buttocks, legs, and the soles of your feet.
Even though they will conduct a full-body examination, almost every dermatologist in Southlake, TX will let their patients keep their underwear on. This is because they don’t normally examine genitals unless their patients actually mention a specific concern.
3. What Will Your Dermatologist in Southlake, TX Be Looking For Exactly?
The most common thing they look for are open sore that wouldn’t heal and rough looking or pearly bumps. On your face, back of the hand and the forearms, they will be on the lookout for tiny rough papules.
Other than this, your dermatologist in Southlake, TX will be looking for asymmetric moles or ones that are very large in size, have jagged borders or an uneven color. Lastly, they will also look for lesions or moles that visually stand out from the rest of the skin around it.
4. What Sort of Questions Are You Going to Be Answering?
Your dermatologist in Southlake, TX may ask whether you have noticed something new on your body or whether you have had skin problems before. They will ask about skin problems that run in the family, or whether you frequent the tanning bed often. Finally, you will also be asked about whether you use sunscreen on a daily basis.
Why these questions though? Well, these and a lot more questions can help determine the chances of skin cancer a person has. This is why you should answer all of these questions honestly.
5. If You Have A Ton of Moles, Should You Be Worried About The Examination?
Some benign brown spots on your body are completely normal. It doesn’t even matter whether they are flat or slightly raised, as they are a simple collection of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. Many among us are simply predisposed to large clusters of moles due to our genetics. Even a lot of sun exposure has been known to trigger the formation of new moles.
Your dermatologist in Southlake, TX will pay special attention to moles because they mostly resemble melanoma – so much so that this is the case approximately 54% of the time. You don’t need to be worried about that though; your dermatologist in Southlake, TX will evaluate this for you.
6. What is Mole Mapping?
Mole mapping is a noninvasive and painless tool that helps detect melanoma. Your dermatologist in Southlake, TX will take about 20 photos of the surface of your skin to microscopically look for atypical-looking ones. This is done by ‘mapping’ the photos into larger ones.
This process, however, is only carried out for those people who have a problem that is of high risk and can’t be solved without a skin biopsy; which brings us to your next question.
7. Is It A Bad Sign That You Need A Biopsy?
No it isn’t. If you need a biopsy, this only means that your dermatologist in Southlake, TX wants to carry out a simple test to arrive to a conclusion about what kind of skin legion you have. This is usually done by having a look at your skin through a microscopic lens in order to determine what cells they are dealing with.
Before you freak about getting a biopsy, know that these are much less painful as compared to getting a simple flu shot. The tiny needle will only sting for about 10 seconds and will extract a sample from the problem you are dealing with.
Compassion Dermatology Can Help You Out
We would like to welcome you to Compassion Dermatology to find the experts in cosmetic, surgical and medical procedures for your nail, hair and skin’s health. All of this will be done with the most innovative technologies and up-to-date researches.
Learn more about our services by visiting our website or calling us at 817-380-5911.