Skin Cancer Checks Gold Coast

Skin HQ performs mole checks aided by digital dermoscopy
Different skin cancer treatment options are available - see below.

It all starts with a skin check!

Doctors will work together with a registered nurse to examine your skin from head to toe with state of the art digital dermoscopy and photography equipment. The doctor is able to track even minor changes in your more worrying spots and will treat them when the time is right.

During a skin examination with a doctor:
They will first take an in-depth history of the health of your skin and assess your risk factors for skin cancer.
They will then move onto performing a full skin assessment using a dermatoscope. The findings of the examination will be discussed and recommendations will be personalised depending on your individual skin cancer risk factors. You will also be provided with sun protection education to ensure you have the most current information on how to prevent skin damage from the sun.

During the examination, the doctor may take a biopsy (cutting out a small sample of skin) of an abnormal skin spot and send it to a specialised histopathologist for further evaluation.
Results from pathology are reported in just a few days. To reduce the number of visits to the skin clinic one of our registered nurses will phone you with your results, discuss treatment options, and book you in for your next appointment. While many patients enjoy this service, it does not prevent any patient who would prefer to attend the clinic to see the doctor to discuss any result.

Surgical excision is one of the most successful skin cancer treatments, and most excisions are simple, leaving a small, straight-edged wound.

The doctors at Skin HQ are also equipped to perform more complex excisions in the clinic using plastic surgery and reconstructive techniques, like flap repairs, frozen sections, and grafts, which may be required for excisions on the face, nose, ears, scalp, and lower legs.

Skin procedures are performed in dedicated onsite walk-in walk-out operating theatres under local anaesthetic (while awake) and with a registered nurse assisting the doctor during the surgery.

Dissolvable stitches are used in most surgical cases. These do not require removal as they dissolve into the body. When non-dissolving stitches are required hey will need to be removed 7-14 days after the surgery.

Following your skin procedure, the registered nurse will dress your wound and discuss how you need to care for your wound at home. You will be given instructions on what to look out for, and when to come back in for a dressing check or removal of stitches if necessary.

Should you require a more invasive or extensive procedure requiring general anaesthetic and/or hospitalisation, we will refer you to a specialist surgeon (of your choice where possible) for treatment. Some skin cancers respond well to less-invasive treatment options (see below).

Other skin cancer treatments (also see surgery above)

• Curettage and diathermy: a minor procedure for some superficial skin cancers in which the skin is numbed with local anaesthetic and the lesion is scraped away. After which blood vessels are then heated to seal off any bleeding.
• Cryotherapy: liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the skin to freeze and destroy cells. This treatment can also be used for isolated solar or seborrhoeic keratoses, skin tags, and warts.
• Medicated creams: In some superficial skin cancers or pre-cancerous lesions, various scientifically proven prescription-only creams can be used for treatment.
• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) : This process rejuvenates the skin and can be helpful in removing solar keratoses and superficial BCCs. It is recommended for large damaged areas of skin that require quick recovery.

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