Self-examination of your skin

In general, patients who have already had a skin cancer are at a greater risk of developing another skin cancer and developing a recurrence at the site where the tumour was before. Therefore, it is important to check the skin for changes once a month.

When carrying out a skin assessment it is important to check in good light, check head to toe, including the soles of your feet and between your toes and nails. Asking for help or taking photographs of hard to see areas such as your back is also useful.

You should look for a rough or scaly crusty area, a rapidly growing lesion, a wound that never heals, changes to the size, shape or colour of any moles, a new mole, or one that looks different to others on the body.

The ABCDEFG guide is a useful tool.

• Asymmetry – an asymmetrical mole should be shown to your doctor.
• Border – a mole with uneven border should be shown to your doctor.
• Colour – moles with two or more colours should be shown to your doctor.
• Diameter – moles larger than 5mm should be shown to your doctor.
• Elevation – a mole that is becoming raised should be shown to your doctor.
• Firm – a mole that feels firm or solid should be shown to your doctor.
• Growing – a mole that is showing signs of change should be shown to your doctor.

Find out about the signs and symptoms a patient should look out for and how to examine your skin.

If any new symptoms are noticed, or if there are any worries between outpatient visits, the patient should discuss these with their GP who will arrange for an earlier appointment if necessary.

Self-examination of your lymph nodes

You have been diagnosed with a skin cancer that on occasions can spread into the lymphatic system. That is why as part of your examination your lymph nodes are examined by your doctor or Skin Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist at follow-up appointments.

The lymph nodes examined depend on the location of your skin cancer e.g. if your skin cancer was on your leg then the lymph nodes in your inguinal area (groin) will be felt or if on your face then the nodes in the head and neck would be examined. The aim is to detect any enlargement of the lymph nodes and undertake investigation at an early stage.

Your doctor or nurse will show you which lymph nodes to check and how to check.

There is also a YouTube video which demonstrates how to check your lymph nodes for signs of skin cancer, which you may find beneficial.

How often should I check my skin and lymph nodes?

Checking the lymph nodes once a month is sufficient and this can be done at the same time as you check your skin for any changing moles. Checking them more often may result in difficulty noticing any change.

Do not panic if you feel a lymph node, as it may be due to an infection but if it has not gone in a week contact your doctor or clinical nurse specialist.