After seeing people with suspect lesions Jolene Meany wanted to check for skin cancers on feet. She has carried out some special training and attended courses in the use of the Dermatoscope. This is a device which is designed to magnify and examine the skin surface.
The Dermatoscope is a medical device with a high quality lens and a strong light which enables us to see minute changes in the skin. It has a scale which allows us to make measurements, and different light filters to pick out various characteristics of lesions.
You don’t need special equipment to check yourself though, just stand in front of a mirror and check all over your body for any changing or new lesions.
Use the ABCDE rule to look for melanoma where:
- A = asymmetry, look for spots that are asymmetrical not round
- B = border, look for spots with uneven borders
- C = colour, look for spots with an unusual or uneven colour
- D = diameter, look for spots that are larger than 7 mm
- E = evolution, look for any changes to spots on your skin, and see your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any changes.
The Cancer Council has some great advice on their website.
Ask your podiatrist about anything on your feet that you are concerned about, and we may use the Dermatoscope to examine skin lesions.
You can see photos of common skin conditions on this page.