5 New Ways to Spot Skin Cancer

Skin cancer has become the most common disease nowadays. According to recent reports, billions of worldwide patients are being diagnosed with this disease every year. This fatal disease develops due to multiplication of abnormal cells on any specific skin area. Early diagnosis and skin cancer treatment can help save patients from many life-threatening complications. However, it is not easy to recognize this disease in its initial stages. Patients should promptly consult a skin specialist if they experience any abnormality of skin. Skin cancer treatment cost may vary depending on stage of cancer.

New Ways to Spot Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is mostly caused due to cumulative sun exposure. A weakened immune system and a history of sunburns can also lead to skin cancer. These days, surgeons can easily identify the underlying skin cancer due to advancement in medical field and technology. The following list elaborates some newer ways for successfully detecting skin cancer in patients.

Total Body Photography

This treatment procedure can be performed in few simple steps. At first, skin specialists perform a thorough physical evaluation. They check the moles and abnormal marks on patient’s body. After that, they may recommend a medical photography to patients. Total body photography method involves taking the pictures of moles to look for any changes in their color and growth symmetry. Skin specialists may order other diagnostic tests if they suspect the possibility of skin cancer.

Dermoscopy

Also known as ‘dermatoscopy’, dermoscopy is a comprehensive procedure which involves examining the skin surface under a microscope-type device called as a ‘dermoscope’. It can easily determine any unusual spot or mole on patient’s body. Studies reveal that dermoscopy can detect skin cancer to a greater extent as compared to other methods.

Mole Safe

This diagnostic treatment can be helpful for patients who have many moles. It is a combination of both dermoscopy and total body photography procedure. It is highly beneficial for patients with a family history of skin cancer and other serious skin-related diseases. It can analyze harmful skin lesions and cancerous moles which may be a warning sign of skin cancer.

MelaFind

It is a specialized instrument which is capable of identifying the presence of unusual precancerous moles. Skin specialist takes the image of moles on patient’s body with a specially designed camera. MelaFind device is equipped with a strong database of cancerous lesions images. The device compares the real-time images captured by the doctor with its database and determines whether the person is normal or have the chances of getting skin cancer.

Tape Stripping

This test is a relatively new procedure and requires a high degree of precision. Surgeons assess the moles on patient’s entire body. Then they apply a strip of specialized tape and pull it off for further testing. DNA of this sample is tested in laboratory to decide whether the patient is healthy or have skin cancer.

Patients should not take the signs of skin cancer lightly and talk to a skin cancer specialist regarding these newer ways of diagnosing skin cancer.