Guide: Checking Your Skin Post Summer

As seen in Sheerluxe

Popular fashion and style website Sheerluxe looked at how to check your skin at this time of year, with expert advice from Dr Ross Perry on how to spot a cancerous mole.

The article explains the importance of regular skin checks:

“Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the UK, with at least 1,000 new cases diagnosed each year. It’s common knowledge that exposure to UV rays is one of the biggest risk factors and, given the record temperatures we’ve had here this summer, checking our skin matters more than ever.”

Skin Checking Q&A

from Dr Ross Perry

Dr Ross Perry is Founder and Medical Director of the London Mole Removal Centre. He works in the NHS as a GP and skin cancer reconstruction expert as well as providing mole checks and mole removal at Cosmedics’ London Mole Removal Centres.

He is renowned as an expert in removal of skin lesions and has removed thousands of moles in his career, which encompasses working in the NHS both in skin cancer reconstruction and as a GP alongside his private skin treatments. He is highly experienced and expert in diagnosing skin lesions and providing the best possible advice/treatment.

Dr Perry answered Sheerluxe’s questions about sun exposure and its effects on the skin.

How will this summer’s warm temperatures have taken their toll on our skin?

“After a summer of heatwaves, people need to be vigilant with SPF and mole checking.

Remember, everyone is at risk of skin cancer, so being aware is vital, especially as skin cancers spotted and removed early via surgery are, for the vast majority, curable.

If you have got a tan this summer or have noticed more freckles, this is a sign of sun damage – there is no such thing as a healthy tan.

Having a tan involves a small degree of sunburn and in order to achieve a tan, you will have burnt your skin, albeit very mildly.”

What are the warning signs we should look for?

“If you have a mole that is bleeding then it is almost certainly not normal, unless you have merely caught it, or it has been rubbing (such as on a bra strap). Most moles do not spontaneously bleed, so it is vital to get this checked out by your GP.

It can also help to look out for ‘the ugly duckling’. Moles tend to look fairly similar to each other, while dangerous ones look noticeably different. If there is a mole that just doesn’t look or behave the same as your others, then that could be a cause for concern and is worth getting checked out.”

What are we looking for?

“Shape matters just as much as colour, diameter and other factors. It can help to use the ABCDE acronym, which is used as a tool for evaluating moles. If a mole shows any of these features, it warrants review by a dermatologist:

Asymmetry: One half of the mole is different from the other.

Border: The mole’s edge is irregular, scalloped or poorly defined.

Colour: There is uneven colour or variable colours within the mole. Any variation within a single mole is a warning sign – these colours include brown, tan, black, red or blue.

Diameter: The mole is bigger than 6mm in size, or larger than the size of a pencil eraser. However, early melanomas might start out smaller than a quarter of an inch, so don’t discount any that are suspicious yet small.

Evolving: the mole is changing in its size, shape or colour. Also watch out for itchiness, discharge, bleeding or crustiness.”

Are some people more at risk than others?

“Individuals with a previous history of significant sun exposure, a family history of melanoma or with previous melanomas also benefit from regular dermatological expert surveillance of their moles.”

Read in full

Mole Removal

Any mole deemed risky is normally removed very quickly on the NHS and will then be tested to understand whether it was cancerous so that the need for further treatment may be assessed.

However, many moles are deemed to be ‘cosmetic’ in nature and when this is the case, free NHS treatment is severely limited.

Clients can choose to have moles removed privately at clinics such as the London Mole Removal centre, who specialise in mole removal and also arrange full histology (testing) as a precautionary measure.

Private Mole Checks & Removal

The London Mole Removal Centre is a private company, offering diagnosis and treatment for skin lesions including moles, cysts, skin tags, warts, verruca, lipoma, xanthelasma, milia. All consultations and treatments are carried out in person by doctors who are specially trained in the latest laser and skin surgery techniques and are highly experienced in the field. Patients benefit from:

No waiting lists
Fully trained doctors, registered with GMC
Blemishes can usually be removed in the same appointment as the consultation, saving the need for a repeat visit and allowing patients to get very quick treatment
Choice of 4 clinics in London plus one in Bristol
Testing with report provided where necessary

For more information or to book a consultation, please complete the form on this web page or call 020 7731 3791.