Skin lesion assessment
Dermoscopic assessment of moles, pigmented and vascular lesions
from £150
about skin lesions
What is a skin lesion?
A skin lesion is an area of skin that is distinctly different to the surrounding skin. They can be present from birth (primary, acquired) or show up later in life (secondary)
They can be Benign (non-cancerous) or
Suspicious and need further investigation as they could be, or become, malignant (cancerous)
Common benign skin lesions:
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skin tags
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warts & verrucae
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seborrhoeic keratosis
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cherry angioma / haemangioma
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lentigo / age spots / liver spots / freckles
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naevus (mole)
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milia cysts
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acne
How do you know they are benign?
To assess skin lesions, I use a specialist camera called a Dermatoscope which helps me to see the lesion on the skin and under the skin. You can read more about dermoscopy below.
about dermoscopy
What is dermoscopy?
Dermoscopy uses light to remove reflection and allow us to see 'through' the skin or lesion to the superficial layers underneath.
In the picture to the side, you can see what a lesion looks like to our naked eye, and then what it looks like under Non-polarised light (left) and Polarised light (right).
With the dermatoscope we see much more detail, including blood vessels, keratin, and pigmentation. From the colours, shapes and structures we see, we can confidently tell if we see the known characteristics of specific benign lesions, or if we see specific characteristics which cause us concern.
I qualified as an Independent Dermoscopy Practitioner after a 6 month intensive course of online learning, real life case studies and exams. This means I can see and treat you even if you haven't already seen a GP or healthcare professional.
what happens at my appointment?
When you book your appointment, I will send you a client questionnaire and some information about the service to read. I will check through this and we will start your appointment with a chat to gather your history including any skin conditions, previous history of skin lesions and history of sun exposure.
If you are having a full body check, I will ask you to undress to your underwear and lie on your front and on your back to enable me to check thoroughly. If you are having a lesion check, I will ask you to expose the area(s) to be checked.
I will check your skin / the lesion(s) with a magnifying glass and the Dermatoscope camera, noting the position of any lesions on a body map, along with measurements.
I will show you the dermatoscopic images and explain my findings. If there are no concerns, I will produce a report with findings, photographs and indications and email this to you within 7 days (for lesion checks) or 14 days for full body checks
If I have any reason to suspect a suspicious lesion, I will explain my reasoning with the photographs, and with your permission, send a report and photograph(s) to your GP and request they review you or refer you appropriately.
I will also provide you with information leaflets regarding benign lesions, and information on treatment or removal.
is there anything I need to know?
Yes - it is important to understand that our skin is the largest organ of our body, and it changes daily. Your epidermis renews every 28-84 days, meaning that what I look at and assess today, could look completely different in 4 weeks time.
This is why we chat about your history and risk factors, and if I feel you have a high risk of skin lesions becoming suspicious, I will ask you to come back again in 3-6 months, and ask you to monitor the area yourself during that time.
It is also good to understand that there are different types of suspicious lesion, and these are not always 'moles' or brown areas. If you have an area that is crusty, scaly or just won't heal, or any pearly pink nodules, its important to get those checked too, especially if they are on areas which have been exposed to the sun.
The most important thing you can do to protect your skin is to be sunsafe - wear SPF30 and above daily, apply enough of it, and make sure to reapply during the day. Wear a wide brimmed hat and seek shade during the hottest part of the day.
what if it is suspicious?
I will explain my thoughts, and provide information from the British Association of Dermatologists.
With your permission, I will send a letter to your GP (by email) asking them to review my findings and photos and either review you to prescribe any treatment or refer you to Dermatology on the appropriate pathway.
Depending on my suspicions I aim to send this within 48 hours, and may ask you to contact your GP surgery yourself in the meantime.
You may be referred on a 2 week wait pathway to Dermatology who will assess you themselves and make a decision on next steps of action, which may be a biopsy (where they take a sample) or an excision (where they remove the whole lesion)
It is important to continue to monitor the area and report any changes to the GP straight away. It can be really helpful to take photos on a smartphone on a weekly basis to see if there are any changes, and to show the dermatology doctors when you see them.
If you would prefer not to wait, you can opt to see a private Dermatologist for removal, and I can advise you of the options locally.
FAQ's
It seems expensive if you are just looking at my skin!
I appreciate that it can look this way, however, my pricing reflects many factors, including my specialist equipment, insurance and most importantly my expertise having undertaken specialist training with Dr Deepak Rallan - an internationally renowned dermatology doctor specialising in Dermoscopy.
It can also take me hours to produce a high standard report and include good quality images, and so prices reflect the behind-the-scenes work.
Why do I need to have a lesion checked?
For peace of mind more than anything else. I can see you, and either set your mind at ease, or send information over for the GP to discuss over the phone or refer on in the time it would take you to wait for a doctors appointment.