Skin Cancer

What skin cancer looks like when it starts

This nonmelanoma skin cancer may appear as a firm red nodule, a scaly growth that bleeds or develops a crust, or a sore that doesn’t heal. It most often occurs on the nose, forehead, ears, lower lip, hands, and other sun-exposed areas of the body.

4 signs of skin cancer

Redness or a new swelling beyond the border of a mole. Color that spreads from the border of a spot into surrounding skin. Itching, pain, or tenderness in an area that doesn’t go away or goes away then comes back. Changes in the surface of a mole: oozing, scaliness, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump.

A skin biopsy is needed to diagnose skin cancer. Your doctor removes a sample of skin tissue, which is sent to a laboratory. In the laboratory, a pathologist studies the sample under a microscope. The pathologist looks for abnormal cells that indicate cancer

How quickly does skin cancer grow?

Melanoma can grow very quickly. It can become life-threatening in as little as six weeks and, if untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma can appear on skin not normally exposed to the sun. Nodular melanoma is a highly dangerous form of melanoma that looks different from common melanomas.

What happens if you leave skin cancer untreated?

It rarely spreads to other parts of the body. This type of skin cancer needs to be treated and has a high cure rate. If left untreated, basal cell carcinomas can become quite large, cause disfigurement, and in rare cases, spread to other parts of the body and cause death

What can I do to prevent skin cancer?

Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., which are the peak hours of sun strength in North America, even in the winter and on cloudy days.
Wear sunscreen — at least SPF 15 — throughout the entire year.
Wear protective clothing.
Avoid tanning beds.
Self-check your skin.

6 Sun-Protection Foods to Turn Your Skin Into an Anti-Wrinkle Fortress

Blueberries. It just so happens that our favorite summer fruits are also the ones that help protect us during summer
Watermelon
Nuts and seeds
Carrots and leafy greens
Green tea

After Hours & Emergency Care

If you require after-hours medical attention still you can call our phone, but it will direct you to our nominated after-hours service (DoctorDoctor) or you can directly call them on 13 26 60. Bulk billed telehealth consults or home visits where appropriate are available by DoctorDoctor, where a patient holds a valid Medicare or Department of Veteran affairs card.

If you require URGENT medical attention, please call 000 or present to the Emergency Department. The closest emergency hospitals are:

Austin Hospital: 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, VIC 3084. Tel: (03) 9496 5000
Box Hill Hospital: 8 Arnold St, Box Hill, VIC 3128. Tel: 1300 342 255

First Nation Acknowledgement

Med1 Clinic acknowledges that our General Practice is located on the lands of many Traditional Custodians in Victoria, and we welcome all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to this practice. We recognise that Indigenous Australians have an ongoing connection to the land and MED1 Clinic values their unique contribution to the wider community. According to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and 15 National Health Practitioner Boards and in line with national medical standards, codes and guidelines across all our clinic has a shared commitment to ensuring that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have access to health services that are culturally safe and free from racism so that they can enjoy a healthy life, equal to that of other Australians, enriched by a strong living culture, dignity and justice.