Early detection does matter: Molecheck and why you should get your skin checked sooner rather than later

Just like blood pressure, mammograms or a dental checkup, it’s important to monitor your skin’s health. As we say goodbye to summer, it’s time to tick off your skin check as well. Early detection matters.

We’ve enjoyed the sunshine, now we should check what damage it may have caused. Even though skin cancer is usually easy to spot and treat, certain types can be deadly when left untreated. Although anyone can develop a skin cancer, those with a history of high sun exposure (particularly sunburns) and fair skinned people are the most vulnerable. The facts are stark:

• New Zealand has the highest melanoma incidence rate in the world;
• Two in three New Zealanders will develop a skin cancer over their lifetime;
• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer;
• Around 70,000 people are diagnosed with melanoma and other skin cancers in New Zealand every year;
• About 500 New Zealanders die annually from skin cancer;
• Most skin cancers can be cured with early diagnosis and treatment;
• The sooner skin cancers are detected, the simpler the treatment and the more successful it is likely to be.

Early diagnosis is vital so it’s important to go to an expert who is trained in detecting skin cancer – a doctor at Molecheck.

Why Molecheck?

The skin cancer doctors at Molecheck have had extensive training in dermoscopy and skin cancer management. They aim to detect skin cancer at the earliest possible stage using a hand-held, surface microscope called a dermoscope.
Skin cancer can occur on any part of the skin, not just in moles. The Molecheck team uses the latest dermoscopy techniques to view structures beneath the skin surface (including tiny cancer blood vessels) which enables them to diagnose melanoma and other skin cancers at the very earliest possible stage, before they can be seen with the naked eye.
All Molecheck patients receive a thorough and comprehensive skin cancer and melanoma check. And as well as skin cancer detection, dermoscopy technology enables Molecheck doctors to confidently diagnose many types of benign growths, which avoids anxiety and unnecessary surgery.
Molecheck doctors aim to find any skin cancer at the first consultation. At this consultation, they may also treat pre-cancerous lesions with cryotherapy (also called cryosurgery). Some benign unsightly or unwanted spots, lumps and discolourations may also be able to be treated during the consultation.
Get to know your skin by checking it regularly— particularly if you are over 50, have a family history of skin cancer or have had any episodes of bad sunburn as a child. And if a spot has changed, becomes raised, is sore, itchy or scaly, or a new spot appears, it’s a good idea to get it Molechecked.
Find out more at admin@molecheck.co.nz or phone 03 355 5089 to make an appointment with the experienced team at Molecheck.