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How a Skin Check Can Change Your Life


How a Skin Check Can Change Your Life:

The Power of Early Detection

Sometimes the appointment that feels easiest to postpone is the one that can make the greatest difference.

 

A skin check may take only a small amount of time, but what we discover can change the direction of a person’s health—and sometimes their life.

 

As a doctor with advanced training in dermatology, skin cancer medicine and surgery, I see every day how easy it is to overlook a changing spot. It may be hidden beneath the hair, on the back, behind an ear or somewhere we rarely think to examine.

Skin cancer does not always hurt. It may not make you feel unwell. It can be quietly changing while life continues as normal.

 

That is why early detection matters.

 

At Aqua Marine Medical & Skin Clinic in Redland Bay, my goal is not to create fear. It is to help people understand their skin, recognise their individual risk and feel confident taking action when something does not look or feel right.

 

Australia’s Skin Cancer Reality

Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

Approximately two in three Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer during their lifetime, and more than one million treatments are provided for non-melanoma skin cancers in Australia each year.

 

The three main forms of skin cancer are:

  • Basal cell carcinoma, or BCC

  • Squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC

  • Melanoma 

Melanoma is less common than BCC and SCC, but it is the most dangerous because it can spread to other parts of the body.

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around 2,300 Australians were estimated to die from melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer combined in 2025.

 

However, there is also very good news.

When melanoma is detected in its earliest stages, long-term survival is greater than 95 per cent. Early detection of BCC and SCC may also allow treatment to be simpler and reduce the risk of more extensive surgery or complications.

The earlier we see a suspicious change, the more options we are likely to have.

 

Why Skin Cancer Is Personal to Me

 

My journey into medicine began in Russia. When I came to Australia, I had to study and qualify again while raising my children.

It was a challenging journey, but it strengthened my commitment to medicine and to seeing every patient as a whole person—not simply as a symptom or a spot on the skin.

Today, I hold a Fellowship in General Medicine, advanced training with the Melanoma Skin Institute, and Diplomas in Dermatology, Skin Cancer Medicine and Surgery, and Cosmetic Medicine.

My work brings together evidence-based medicine, prevention and genuine human care.

In clinical practice, I have seen how identifying a suspicious lesion early can completely change the next steps for a patient. I have also seen how frequently people delay their checks because they are busy, uncertain, nervous or believe a spot is probably nothing.

I understand that having your skin examined can feel vulnerable. Being properly seen requires trust.

My role is to provide a thorough, respectful examination, explain what I observe and help you understand what should happen next.

 

What Happens During a Skin Cancer Check?

 A skin check is more than a quick glance at the mole that concerns you.

 

We begin by discussing your personal risk factors, which may include:

  • Previous skin cancer

  • A family history of melanoma

  • Fair skin, freckles, light eyes or hair

  • Skin that burns easily

  • A history of significant sunburn

  • High cumulative sun exposure

  • Outdoor work, sport or recreation

  • A large number of moles

  • A mole that is new, changing or different from the others

  • A weakened immune system or certain medications  A thorough examination may include areas that are difficult to check yourself, such as your back, scalp, ears, neck and the backs of your legs.

A dermatoscope can be used to examine a lesion under magnification and specialised lighting. This allows a trained doctor to see colours and structures beneath the skin’s surface that are not visible to the naked eye.

 

Depending on what is found, the next step may be reassurance, clinical photography and monitoring, a follow-up examination, biopsy, removal or referral for further specialist assessment.

 

Most spots will not be melanoma. The purpose of a skin check is not to assume the worst—it is to identify what can be safely watched and what should be investigated.

 

What Should You Look for Between Appointments?

You see your skin more often than any doctor does. Becoming familiar with what is normal for you is a powerful part of early detection.

 

The ABCDE guide can help you recognise possible signs of melanoma:

  • A – Asymmetry: One half looks different from the other.

  • B – Border: The edges appear irregular, blurred or notched.

  • C – Colour: The spot contains several colours or begins changing colour.

  • D – Diameter: The spot is growing or is larger than approximately 6 mm—although melanoma can be smaller.

  • E – Evolving: The spot is changing in size, shape, colour, elevation or sensation.

Also remember the ugly duckling sign: a spot that looks different from all your other spots deserves attention.

Not every melanoma follows the ABCDE pattern. Nodular melanoma may grow quickly and can appear as a raised, firm lesion. The EFG guide can help:

  • E – Elevated

  • F – Firm

  • G – Growing

Other changes worth checking include:

  • A sore that does not heal

  • A spot that bleeds, crusts or weeps

  • Persistent itching, tenderness or tingling

  • A scaly or inflamed patch

  • A new lump

  • A new mole appearing in adulthood

  • Any spot that concerns you, even if it does not match a checklist

  •  

Skin cancers can also develop in areas that receive little obvious sun exposure, including the soles of the feet, between the toes and beneath the nails.

If in doubt, have it checked.

 

“It’s Probably Nothing” Is Not a Diagnosis

 

One of the most common reasons people delay a skin check is because a spot does not seem serious enough.

Perhaps it is small. Perhaps it does not hurt. Perhaps it has been there for years.

But pain is not a reliable warning sign for skin cancer, and size alone does not tell us whether a lesion is harmless.

You are never wasting your doctor’s time by asking about a genuine change or concern.

I would much rather examine a spot and reassure you than have you continue worrying—or discover later that something important was missed.

How Often Should You Have a Skin Check?

There is no single schedule that is right for every Australian.

Australia does not currently have a universal population-wide skin cancer screening program. The appropriate frequency of professional checks should be based on individual risk.

People at very high risk of melanoma may be advised to have a full skin examination every six months. Others may require annual checks or may be advised to monitor their own skin and attend promptly when they notice a change.

Your doctor can assess your history, skin type, sun exposure, moles and previous lesions to recommend an appropriate plan.

A skin check is not something to book once and then forget. Your skin continues to change, so awareness between appointments remains essential.

 

Five Simple Ways to Protect Your Future Skin

1. Know Your Normal

Check your skin regularly in good light. Use a mirror or ask someone you trust to help examine areas you cannot easily see.

2. Photograph Changes

A clear, dated photograph may help you notice changes over time, but it does not replace a professional assessment.

3. Protect Yourself from UV

Use broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF50 or SPF50+ sunscreen, protective clothing, a broad-brimmed hat, shade and sunglasses.

4. Check the UV Index

UV radiation cannot be seen or felt. Protection is recommended when the UV Index reaches 3 or above.

5. Do Not Wait for Your Next Routine Appointment

If a spot is new, changing, bleeding or simply feels wrong, arrange an assessment rather than waiting.

 

Being Seen Can Change Everything

A skin check is not only about detecting cancer.

It is about understanding your risk.

It is about learning what to watch.

It is about replacing uncertainty with a plan.

Most importantly, it is about giving yourself the greatest possible advantage if something is found.

At Aqua Marine Medical & Skin Clinic in Redland Bay, we combine advanced clinical training with personalised, compassionate care. You are not simply another appointment or another spot to assess.

You deserve to feel heard, respected and thoroughly seen.

Do not wait until a changing spot becomes impossible to ignore.

Book the appointment. Ask the question. Show us the spot that has been quietly concerning you.

 

A few minutes of attention today could make an extraordinary difference to your tomorrow.

 

Written by Dr Marina Rotert Founder, Aqua Marine Medical Centre & Skin Clinic and Aqua Marine Wellness & Spa

Dr Marina holds a Fellowship in General Medicine, advanced training with the Melanoma Skin Institute, and Diplomas in Dermatology, Skin Cancer Medicine and Surgery, and Cosmetic Medicine.

This article provides general health information and is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you notice a new, changing, bleeding or non-healing lesion, arrange an assessment with a qualified medical practitioner.

 

Sources and Further Reading

136 Broadwater Terrace, Redland Bay QLD 4165, Australia (07) 31541114

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 136 Broadwater Tce, Redland Bay 4165 QLD

reception@aquamarinemedical.com.au

Opening hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 am–5:00 pm

Tel: 07 3154 1111

Fax: 07 3154 1112

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