How Often Should You Get a Full Body Skin Exam?

A full body skin exam involves a close examination of your skin to identify any issues and initiate treatment when required. Our skin exams include your entire body and face. During the exam, your provider plays close attention to any moles and other signs of potential problems.

Full body skin exams are suggested to detect any signs of skin cancer. During the exam, we start the examination from your scalp and slowly works down to your toes, paying close attention to hard-to-see spots like your scalp, back and buttocks, behind your ears, and even between your toes. We make notes of any moles and other skin flaws that may need close monitoring. We will explain our findings as during the exam, so you can better monitor changes to your skin.

We recommend a full body skin exam once a year, or possibly more often if you are at a higher risk of skin cancer. To prepare for your exam, we recommend doing a self-exam to note any changes or new lesion you may have noticed, remove all nail polish on your fingers and toes, wear your hair down (to exam the scalp), and remove any makeup before the exam.