If you’ve never been to a dermatologist, or it’s been a long time since you’ve had a skin cancer exam, you may not know what to expect. What happens during a first-time dermatology appointment? What happens if a suspicious area is confirmed to be skin cancer? And, what questions should you ask about skin cancer treatment options, such as Image-Guided SRT? GentleCure answers all of these questions and more below.
What to Expect from Your First Dermatology Appointment
First-time dermatology appointments begin much like a regular visit to a primary care physician. They’ll start by asking about your health problems, surgical history, and medications you’re taking to get a bigger picture of your overall health. During your first visit, a dermatologist will complete a full body exam. You’ll remove your clothing and put on a gown, so your dermatologist can examine your skin thoroughly. Make sure you wear loose-fitting clothing and slip-on shoes that you can remove easily for the examination.
Your dermatologist may use magnifying glass to more closely examine certain areas. If they find something suspicious, they’ll take a biopsy of the area. The biopsy will take place same-day in the office. They’ll locally numb the area and remove a small amount of tissue, which will be sent to a lab to be examined under a microscope. If the biopsy results confirm basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, you have different skin cancer treatment options available to you, such as Image-Guided SRT.
Questions to Ask Your Dermatologist About Image-Guided SRT for Skin Cancer
If you’ve received a skin cancer diagnosis, it’s important to understand the treatment options before you. Bringing your questions and concerns to your dermatologist is a good way to convey your personal needs and treatment goals. If you’re considering Image-Guided SRT as a viable treatment option, you can use the following questions to break the ice and learn more about the process:
Q: How is Image-Guided SRT right for the type of skin cancer I have?
Answer You Can Expect: Image-Guided SRT is a squamous cell and basal cell skin cancer treatment. It’s a safe and effective treatment with a 99% cure rate.
Q: What is Image-Guided SRT treatment like? How does it work?
Answer You Can Expect: Treatment is done right in the dermatology office and involves no cutting, bleeding, pain, surgical scarring, or reconstructive surgery. Instead, Image-Guided SRT uses low levels of X-ray energy to kill cancer cells.
Q: Can I still do my normal activities while getting treatments?
Answer You Can Expect: There is very little wound care and no limits to your daily activities, so you can continue to lead your normal life while receiving treatment.
Q: Should I expect any side effects or scarring during or after treatment?
Answer You Can Expect: Image-Guided SRT causes no surgical scarring. The most common side effects are mild to moderate irritation, redness, and/or thinning of the skin that was treated.
Q: How will I know the treatment is working and when my skin cancer has gone away?
Answer You Can Expect: Ultrasound images show your progress throughout the course of your treatment. You can see the skin cancer area shrinking until it eventually disappears.
Make an Informed Decision About Which Skin Cancer Treatment is Right for You
At GentleCure, our mission is to empower you to make the best basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer treatment decisions for you. To help you talk with your dermatologist about Image-Guided SRT, you can download this document today, which contains the questions listed above. There are sections under each question where you or your support person can write your dermatologist’s answers for your reference. If you have questions about Image-Guided SRT, you can talk one-on-one with a skin cancer information specialist by contacting us online or by phone.
