According to Cancer Research, skin cancer is the most common cancer overall in the UK. Here at Fylde Private GP we aim to provide easy access solutions for the screening and diagnosis of skin conditions at a time when there are increased pressures for Dermatology services in the UK.
Our goal is to utilise technology to promote the early detection of skin cancer and other skin diseases, saving time, money and most importantly people’s lives. This in turn will minimise the number of misdiagnoses and fewer missed cases of serious skin conditions. By using our service we can also offer peace of mind for those worried or concerned about any skin conditions.
Dermatology at Fylde Private GP
Our healthcare professionals use a CE marked medical device and a web-based portal that supports the distribution of the images taken by our camera and information collected into the portal during the patient consultation.
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High quality technology with consistent imaging
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Proven solution, flexible, portable, and efficient
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Integrated, supporting different clinical pathways
Screening & Diagnosis Of Skin Conditions
Dermatoscope
A Dermatoscope is used by our healthcare professional to capture two images of your skin condition, lesion or mole.
The first image is a distance image, known as a clinical image.
The second image is an extreme close up image known as a Dermatoscopic image.
What to expect when you attend a consultation?
The consultation is very simple. The healthcare professional will ask you a pre-scan questionnaire about your sun exposure & general skin health/history.
The skin condition or lesion is imaged using a non-invasive Dermatoscopic camera. Once the images are saved, the healthcare professional will ask a series of post-scan questions regarding the specific skin condition or lesion history.
A Dermatology Consultant will review the scans via the online portal and a report will be sent to the GP, who will contact you to discuss the results and any proposed treatment or any follow-up that may be required.
Advantages
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Provides quick results (72 hours) for referrals and peace of mind
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Avoids the NHS backlogs
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Camera & solution is non-invasive
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Minimises the amount of unnecessary GP referrals to Dermatology
This specific technology is exclusive to Fylde Private GP within Lancashire
Dermatology Services
Self-Checking
Self-checking is vital for the early detection of skin cancer. It is important to be aware of the condition of your skin and monitor any changes. Self-Checking - only takes 5 minutes!
Use the ABCDE rule when self-checking your moles/ lesions:
A - Asymmetry – Is it an irregular shape? Skin cancers such as melanoma are typically asymmetrical. Non-cancerous growths tend to be a regular shape
B - Borders - Does it have a clear border? The borders of a melanoma are ragged, poorly defined, and irregular. Non-cancerous skin growths such as moles have sharply defined borders.
C - Colour - Benign growths tend to have a single, uniform colour. Melanomas may have several, including brown, tan, red, or black. Are there any changes in colour?
D – Diameter - is it bigger than 5-6 mm? Melanomas tend to be larger than the head of a pencil eraser—over 6 millimetres
E - Evolving - Are there any symptoms such as itching and bleeding? Most benign skin growths do not change over time. They don’t get larger or smaller, don’t bleed for no reason, and don’t change colours. Skin cancers will change in shape, size, even colour. Any skin growth that starts changing in appearance, begins bleeding, or starts to grow must be seen by a doctor immediately.
Types of Skin Cancer
Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
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BCC’s are the most common form of skin cancer. It is most often found in the sun-exposed areas of the head, ears & neck. It is erosive in nature, which means the local skin invasion of the cancer eats into the tissue it affects. It doesn’t spread to other sites on the body.
Malignant Melanoma
Early detection is extremely important with regards to skin cancer. Melanoma is the most deadly of all skin cancers. Melanoma can be cured if it is caught early enough. When checking your skin you need to be aware of the ABCDE rule. All of the characteristics within this rule are related to melanoma. Any suspicious/ new moles should be photographed when you notice them. When you take another photo in a months time you can compare the two. If there are any changes at all, follow them up and have it checked as soon as possible.