Moles & Skin Cancer

Hi Wei Chiang, Sorry to hear that your father has been given such bad news. The next steps will depend on how deep the melanoma is. For shallow melanomas, surgical removal with good margins may be adequate. For deeper melanomas, he will require surgical removal of the melanoma and referral to an oncologist for further staging. This refers to investigations to check if there is a spread to the neighbouring lymph nodes or other organs. In advanced cases, immunotherapy or targeted therapy may be required.

If your dermatologist finds an abnormal mole or growth that appears suspicious, then a simple test known as a biopsy needs to be done. It is a quick test that takes 5-10 minutes and a small skin sample is removed after a quick numbing injection. 1-2 stitches are usually applied to close the wound and this will heal in 1-2 weeks. The skin is then sent to a specialised lab to be examined under the microscope by another dermatologist. Typically, the final report that tells you whether the mole is a skin cancer or not will be available after a week.

Hi Shan Shan, The most important step everyone can take to minimize their risk of skin cancer would be to take sun protection seriously. Wearing a hat, regular sunscreen, avoiding mid-day sun and never ever going under a sun bed would be a good start. Routinely checking your own moles for any change and visiting a dermatologist every year for a skin check can also ensure that any abnormal skin changes can be picked up early.

During your skin check with your dermatologist, you will often be asked some questions and examined to assess your risk for development of skin cancers. This may include: Fair skin that burns easily History of severe sunburns or sunbed use Multiple abnormal moles Family history of skin cancer Conditions or medicines that suppress the immune system Exposure to arsenic If you answer yes to any of these, you are at a slightly higher risk of developing skin cancer.

Yes apart from the most dangerous melanoma, there are 2 other types of skin cancer. Skin cancer can be broadly divided into non-melanoma skin cancer or the more dangerous melanoma. Non-melanoma skin cancer includes basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). BCCs account for vast majority of skin cancers and are most often found on sun exposed areas of people who spend a lot of time outdoors. BCCs are generally not life threatening as they rarely spread to the rest of the body. However, if left untreated, they continue to grow and can destroy surrounding tissues.

Hi Yang Wei, It is excellent that you are taking steps to examine your own skin. This is what I'd always recommend all my patients to do in between their annual skin checks with me. The main abnormalities to look out for can be remembered as the ABCDE of abnormal moles: In addition, I also ask patients to look out for bleeding non-healing moles, and the “ugly duckling”. A mole that stands looks different from the rest should always be checked by a trained dermatologist.

In Asian skin, all pink pimples will heal leaving a brown mark known as post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. This is due to the higher melanin content in our skin being disturbed during the inflammatory process. The good news is, these brown patches will usually fade in 2-3 months, and medical grade lightening creams or a light laser can help it fade faster. Just remember to stay out of the sun to help it along as well.

It is difficult to give you a definite answer on whether such creams are effective because it ultimately depends on what are the ingredients present in the cream. In my opinion, the safest and most effective way to remove moles would be either by surgical or laser mole removal. Surgical mole removal refers to removing the mole by cutting it out under local anaesthetic. Don't worry, it sounds a lot scarier than it really is! First, a quick numbing injection is given and the mole removed surgically and a few stitches are applied to close the wound.

Hi Yuk Hwee, If you notice a changing mole, you should ALWAYS see a dermatologist who can assess your mole and determine if it is just a normal changing mole or if the mole is developing suspicious features. While it is normal that some moles may become larger, darker or lighter over time in a harmless manner, it is still safer to leave such an assessment to a trained professional. As a trained dermatologist who has worked in the UK as well as Asian countries, I have performed numerous skin checks on different skin types using magnifying devices to look out for suspicious features.