Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States — one in five Americans will develop it by age 70. It's also among the most treatable cancers when caught early, with five-year survival rates above 99% for melanoma detected before it spreads. The difference between those outcomes often comes down to one simple habit: regular skin exams.
For adults with average risk, an annual full-body skin exam is the standard recommendation. Southern Oregon's sunny climate and outdoor lifestyle mean many of our patients have accumulated more sun exposure than they realize — especially those who work outside, garden, fish, or grew up here before modern sunscreen habits.
Your provider may recommend more frequent visits — every three to six months — if you have a personal or family history of skin cancer, many moles or atypical moles, fair skin that burns easily, a history of significant sunburns or tanning bed use, or a weakened immune system.
The visit is simpler than most people expect. After a brief health history, your provider examines your skin head to toe — including areas that rarely see sun, like the scalp, between the toes, and under the nails. We use a dermatoscope, a specialized magnifying instrument that lets us evaluate moles and spots in detail invisible to the naked eye.
If anything looks concerning, we'll usually photograph it for monitoring or take a small biopsy the same day. Most exams take 15–20 minutes, and most findings turn out to be benign — which is exactly the kind of news worth getting every year.
Between annual visits, watch your own skin monthly using the ABCDE rule for moles:
Also call us about any spot that bleeds, itches, crusts, or simply won't heal — non-melanoma skin cancers often appear as a stubborn "pimple" or rough patch that persists for weeks.
Access to dermatology in Southern Oregon has historically meant long waits. Summit Dermatology was built to change that — new patients are typically seen within days, not months. If it's been more than a year since your last skin check (or you've never had one), this is your reminder.