Healios Melonoma Skin Cancer Clinic

What we do:

Dermicheck is a mole screening service designed to detect abnormalities early. The examination is non invasive and lasts an hour and a half.

The Helios Clinical nurses can aid in the diagnosis of a potentially dangerous mole which could become a problem and cause skin cancer.

Melanoma remains the most dangerous form of skin cancer, with cases doubling in the UK over the last 20 years. Skin cancer is now the most common cancer in Scotland, with more than 7000 new cases diagnosed every year.

This often comes down to one thing: exposure to sunlight.

Your Appointment...

Stage 1

Initially our clinical nurse will work through a detailed personal history making notes relevant to the person’s risk.

The 1st part of the examination is mole mapping and awareness.

This is a visual check by the clinical nurse of moles that the person has on their body. This is one of the most important aspects as most people do not know the quantity or position of all the moles on their bodies for example under the hair on their head, on their back and neck, on the back of their legs etc.

Mole & Skin Cancer Symptoms

One half of a mole is unlike the other half.

Irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border of a mole.

Varied from one area to another; shades of tan and brown.

While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser), they can be smaller.

A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or colour.

Stage 2

The 2nd part of the examination is to do a visual check of moles that might look out of the ordinary.

This includes: Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter, Evolving change.

Stage 3

The 3rd part of the examination is to record those moles using specialised dermoscopy equipment.

A hand-held scanner uses light wave technology to penetrate beneath the surface of the skin to detect differences.
This reveals, potentially harmful changes in colour, blood flow, skin pigment melanin and collagen that may develop into cancer unless treated.

No biopsy is needed.

A report is printed and handed to the patient to take to their GP, for the GP to analyse and arrange removal if it is deemed necessary.