A check up in the dermatology setting is often referred to as a full body check, full skin exam, or skin cancer screening.   This visit will take approximately 10-15 minutes.  You will be greeted by a nurse or a certified medical assistant.  They will show you to a clean and comfortable exam room.  The medical assistant will ask you a few questions and will also ask you about any pertinent dermatology history.  If you have been treated at any time in your life for any skin conditions, it’s a good idea to compile a list as well as obtain any pathology reports or test results from previous office visits.  You may be asked by our office to sign a records release so that we can attempt to obtain your records if you haven’t already done so prior to your first appointment with our office.  You will be asked to remove all clothing excluding undergarments.  You will be given a paper drape to cover you.  Your dermatology provider then will come into the exam room, greet you and will ask if you have any moles, spots or areas of concern. Your provider will then look at every inch of your body from your scalp to your toes.  This is a head to toe examination using our eyes and expertise to evaluate your skin.

This exam is a good time to ask about any spots you are worried about; your dermatology provider can educate you about what to look for, such as any changes in the size, color, borders, or shape of a mole. Any notable change in a mole should be evaluated. A spot that your provider suspects is cancerous or abnormal will be biopsied. During a biopsy, you will receive a small local anesthetic injection to numb the area and a small piece of the skin/mole/or lesion is removed and sent to a lab for evaluation by a pathologist. The office is generally notified within 2 weeks of the diagnosis.  Our office will then reach out to you with the diagnosis and further treatment if needed.

Tips for your Full Skin Exam:

• Wear loose fitting clothes that you can change in and out of easily
• Bathe or shower the day of the appointment
• Do not wear heavy face make up like foundations, blush or eye shadow as this can hinder the exam
• Please do not use perfume or heavy body scents as many individuals are very sensitive and or allergic to these types of products
• Remove fingernail and toenail polish before your exam

Joellynn C. Verdier APN-c