Find Skin Cancer Specialists in Healdsburg, CA. Whether you’re seeking treatment or looking to schedule a preventative screening, we can connect you with the best dermatologists near you in Healdsburg, CA.
Local Businesses
North Bay Eye Assoc
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Brown Donald M
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Melvin Lee Gurney
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Stanley W Jacobs Inc
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Dr. Donald M. Brown
Healdsburg, CA 95448
Skin Cancer Specialists FAQ in Healdsburg, CA
How urgent is skin cancer?
You’ll have an urgent referral (within 2 weeks) if you have squamous cell skin cancer. Basal cell skin cancers usually do not need an urgent referral, but you should still see a specialist within 18 weeks. The specialist will examine your skin and may do a biopsy to confirm a diagnosis of skin cancer.
What happens if you test positive for skin cancer?
The goal of treatment is to remove all of the cancer. For this reason, surgery is often part of the treatment plan. When found early, a type of surgery called excision surgery may be the only treatment you need. A dermatologist can often perform this surgery during an office visit while you remain awake.
What do cancerous age spots look like?
Spots that become asymmetric, have borders that shift, get darker or lighter, or change in diameter should be checked for skin cancer. Speed of changes. Age spots tend to shift from pink to yellow to tan to brown over several years. Spots that are changing more rapidly should be evaluated.
How long is too long to leave skin cancer?
In as little as 6 weeks melanoma can put your life at risk as it has the ability to grow quickly and spread to other parts of your body including your organs. It can be present in any area, even those which haven’t been in the sun, although sun exposure is a common cause.
What does the first stage of melanoma look like?
Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the shape, color, size, or feel of an existing mole. However, melanoma may also appear as a new mole. People should tell their doctor if they notice any changes on the skin. The only way to diagnose melanoma is to remove tissue and check it for cancer cells.
How long can you have basal cell carcinoma before it spreads?
The cancer is the result of cumulative damage of years spent in the sun, and may take 20 years to manifest. Although it’s often more common in older people, it can occur in younger adults, too. Basal cell carcinoma spreads very slowly and very rarely will metastasize, Dr. Christensen says.
Can you tell the stage of melanoma from a biopsy?
These test results along with the results from your skin biopsy, complete skin exam, and physical are used to determine the stage of the melanoma. When everything that your doctor sees suggests that the cancer may have spread to a lymph node, your doctor may recommend a procedure called a sentinel lymph node biopsy.
Can you pass away from melanoma?
Melanoma is usually curable when detected and treated early. Once it has spread deeper into the skin or other parts of the body, it becomes more difficult to treat and can be deadly. The estimated five-year survival rate for U.S. patients whose melanoma is detected early is about 99 percent.
How do you know melanoma has spread across your body?
If your melanoma has spread to other areas, you may have: Hardened lumps under your skin. Swollen or painful lymph nodes. Trouble breathing, or a cough that doesn’t go away.
What type of skin cancer is most difficult to treat?
Melanoma is not as common as basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas but is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. If left untreated or caught in a late-stage, melanomas are more likely to spread to organs beyond the skin, making them difficult to treat and potentially life-limiting.
How do you know if skin cancer has spread?
Basal and squamous cell cancers don’t often spread to other parts of the body. But if your doctor thinks your skin cancer might spread, you might need imaging tests, such as MRI or CT scans.
What happens if you ignore skin cancer?
These skin cancers will continue to grow if nothing is done to stop them. Extended growth can result in involvement of vital structures like the nose, eyes, ears, bone, tendon or muscle and can become disfiguring or even life-threatening. Fortunately, most of the time they grow very slowly.