Do I Need To Follow Up After Treatment?

Transcript

After you’ve been treated for skin cancer, it’s really important that you follow up regularly with your dermatologist. That’s because skin cancers can return. If you’ve had non-melanoma skin cancer, you’re 10 times more likely to have it recur within two years after the treatment than people who have never had it. You need to have full body skin exams every six months at a dermatologist’s office. You should also use sunscreen, avoid the sun from 10:00 to 2:00 PM.

For melanoma, you have a 25% risk of getting a second tumor or cancer. During the first 12 months after treatment, you need to be seen by a dermatologist every three months, full body skin exams. Then, every six months for the rest of your life. It’s also recommended that all of your first degree relatives, which are parents, siblings, and children, are screened yearly as well.

Key Takeaways

1. After skin cancer treatment, it’s really important that you follow up regularly with your dermatologist because it can come back.

2. For non-melanoma, you need full body skin exams every 6 months at a dermatologist’s office.

3. Use sunscreen and avoid the sun from 10:00 to 2:00 PM.

4. For melanoma, see a dermatologist every 3 months for the first year after treatment for full body skin exams. Then, every six months for the rest of your life.

5. It’s also recommended that your parents, siblings, and children, are screened every year.