Make an appointment with a dermatologist to obtain a professional medical examination if you detect anything suspicious when doing a self-exam or observe changes to your skin. You may also go to a general care doctor if you don't already have a dermatologist. A primary care doctor can guide you through the following stages and recommend you to a dermatologist if necessary. By paying great attention to the state of your skin, you may be able to detect other skin disorders that may be treated, such as:
- eczema
- contact allergies
- rosacea
- several rashes
Other Conditions That Affect The Skin
All of these issues are ones that you should discuss with a dermatologist, who will then be able to give you an accurate diagnosis and, if necessary, a treatment strategy.
How To Do A Skin Exam At Home
To thoroughly examine your skin from head to toe, you do not need specialized tools other than a full-length mirror and a hand mirror, at the very least. Stand nude in front of a full-length mirror or the mirror in your bathroom, and make sure the room is well-lit. This will provide the greatest results. Also, you should anticipate spending a lot of time on your test. Since you want to be comprehensive, you shouldn't hurry through the process. To undertake a comprehensive skin care self-exam:
- You may need to elevate your breasts so you can check the skin that's below them. It would help if you also examined the front of your arms.
- Raise both arms so you can inspect the armpits and the opposite side of your arms.
- Examine the palms, the backs of your hands, and the spaces between your fingers. Perform a thorough inspection of the regions around and below each fingernail.
- Take a moment to recline and examine the front of your thighs, shins, and feet tops. Check the regions surrounding your toenails as well as the ones beneath them.
- Examine the back of your thighs, calves, and feet soles using a hand mirror.
- It would help to inspect the region around your genitalia and buttocks using the hand mirror while standing. While looking in the wall mirror, use the hand mirror to examine the back of your neck and your back.
- Consider inspecting your scalp with the use of a hand mirror. If you want to view the skin behind your hair, you will need to move the strands of hair out of the way carefully.
What Aspects To Search For
A skincare self-exam may be of tremendous assistance regarding the early diagnosis of melanoma or any other skin condition. According to the findings of a study published in 2019, people who are aware of how serious it is to check for skin cancer are less likely to do so regularly. This is large because they do not have faith in their ability to recognize changes in their skin that might be cause for concern.
During your examination, look for new markings that might suggest skin problems or infections and changes to any birthmarks, freckles, or moles that are already present. Because of this, it's necessary to have your skin checked regularly. While taking your first test, you should get acquainted with the current marks and search for any signs that may be suspect. In particular, keep an eye out for the following:
- A change in the size, shape, or color of the mole.
- A mole of an unusual form or uneven boundary lines
- consists of more than one color,
- an abnormal mole that is painful, itchy, or bleeding, and growth or bumps that are new or changing.
- Scaly red or greyish spot that bleeds or crusts over sometimes.
- Scaly pink patch that is very sensitive to the touch.
- Persistent zit that does not go
- a wound that either bleeds or does not heal.
- a rash for which there is no obvious cause
- of wart-like growth
- Dangers of getting skin cancer
When To Seek Aid
When doing a self-exam on your skin, if you see anything unusual, you should schedule an appointment with a dermatologist or a primary care physician as soon as possible. Even if it turns out that the mark does not pose any health risks, going to the doctor will provide you with peace of mind and information about a sort of growth that may reappear in the future.
