If something seems abnormal, Health Central says that a bright light could be used to illuminate the area. This gives your dermatologist the best possible view of moles and other skin growths. 

A biopsy may be performed if an area looks concerning, but don’t be scared -- it won’t hurt. Affected areas will be numbed so that you don’t feel pain. Then a portion of the area will be removed and later analyzed in a lab. You probably won’t get results that day, but they will be delivered at a later time. And if something abnormal has been found, a follow-up appointment will be scheduled. 

Self-Care Between Appointments

Finally, before you leave your appointment, you may want to ask your dermatologist to teach you how to examine your own skin. Tanzi says that this should include how to examine the scalp, toes and even the bottoms of your feet. There’s good reason for doing this, so don’t skip this step.

“Because patients are often uninformed about what they need to look for, they can be prey to misconceptions about what is a cause for concern,” Tanzi says. “For example, a lot of patients ask me if their raised moles are dangerous…Additionally, I’m often asked if a mole should be removed because it itches. For instance, a patient will have a mole that gets chafed and irritated by clothing. In general, irritation does not lead to skin cancer. If it’s truly a benign nevus (mole) or lesion, then irritation from clothing over long periods of time is not going make it cancerous.”