Skin Checks & Skin Cancer Screening
A skin check is a head-to-toe examination of your skin by a dermatologist, looking for skin cancers and precancerous changes – many of which are invisible to an untrained eye. It is quick, painless, and one of the most valuable things you can do for your long-term health.
Skin check or spot check?
- Full skin check: a complete examination of your skin from scalp to soles – recommended if you have never been checked, have significant sun damage, a personal or family history of skin cancer, or many moles.
- Spot check: a focused visit for a specific spot that worries you. If you notice something changing, growing, bleeding, or simply new and different – have it looked at promptly.
Warning signs worth a prompt visit
- A spot that is changing in size, shape, or color
- A sore that bleeds, scabs, or does not heal within a few weeks
- A spot that itches, hurts, or feels different from your other spots
- A new growth – especially one that looks different from everything around it
What happens if we find something
If a spot looks suspicious, the next step is usually a skin biopsy – a small sample taken under local numbing, right in the office, and examined under a microscope. If the biopsy shows a skin cancer, we will walk you through the treatment options that fit your specific diagnosis, from simple procedures to Mohs surgery when it is appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
What happens during a skin check?
You will change into a gown and your dermatologist will systematically examine your skin, including easy-to-miss areas like the scalp, ears, back, and feet. You can point out anything that concerns you. The exam typically takes only a few minutes.
What kinds of skin cancer are you looking for?
The three most common are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. We also screen for precancerous changes such as actinic keratoses, and for rarer skin cancers.
Who gets skin cancer?
Anyone can. Fair skin and sun exposure raise risk, but skin cancer occurs in every skin tone – and in people with darker skin it is often found later, which makes checks just as important.
How often should I have a skin check?
It depends on your personal risk – your history, your family history, your sun exposure, and what we find at your first exam. We will recommend an interval that fits you rather than a one-size-fits-all schedule. For a fuller explanation of how that interval actually gets decided, and which risk factors move it, see how often you should really get a skin check.
What should I watch for between appointments?
Get familiar with your own skin. Once a month, glance over your skin after a shower and note anything new, changing, or refusing to heal – and if something stands out, do not wait for your next scheduled visit. Our guide to the ABCDEs of melanoma – and the melanomas they miss covers what to look for, including the patterns the standard checklist does not catch.
Magnolia Forge Dermatology is coming to Raleigh, North Carolina. We are not yet scheduling appointments.
Medical content: William S. Farmer, MD · Last reviewed: July 2026
