Skin Cancer Screening
Wasilla, Alaska
Wasilla, Alaska
If you notice a changing mole, a sore that will not heal, or a spot that looks different from the rest, it is important to get it checked. At Iron Beauty Health and Wellness, you can talk about your concerns, have your skin examined, and find out if you need further care.
If you have a suspicious spot and meet the criteria, DermaSensor can give your doctor more information during your visit. This non-invasive tool helps your physician decide if a lesion should be watched or checked by a dermatologist.
DermaSensor does not diagnose skin cancer or take the place of a biopsy. It simply gives your doctor more information, helping you decide what to do next if there are any concerns.
Living in Alaska means spending a lot of time outdoors. Activities like enjoying long summer days, being on the water, exploring high elevations, snowmachining, fishing, and hunting all add up to more sun exposure. Snow, ice, and water can also reflect UV rays onto your skin.
Anyone can get skin cancer, no matter their age, background, or skin tone. It can even show up in places that do not get much sun, like the scalp, under a nail, between the toes, or on the soles of the feet. You might feel healthy and still have a spot that needs attention, since many skin cancers start as a visible change without pain or other symptoms.
Checking your skin regularly helps you know what is normal for you. If you notice something different, seeing a professional in person can help you figure out your next steps.
Skin cancer is usually very treatable when found early. Getting checked quickly can help you get the right care sooner. It also makes sure that small, painless, or unusual spots are not overlooked.
It’s important to get a spot checked if it starts to change. Even a mole that has looked the same for years can become a concern if its color, shape, texture, or size changes. A scaly patch that won’t go away, a sore that keeps coming back, or a growth that bleeds easily should also be looked at.
Screening helps spot warning signs and make a plan for your care. Depending on what is found, you might just need to keep an eye on things, track any changes, or see a dermatologist for a closer look or a possible biopsy.
If you have a new mole or growth that keeps changing, looks different from your other spots, or starts to itch, hurt, crust, or bleed, it should be checked. The same goes for a sore that heals and comes back or will not close.
Spending years working or playing outside adds up, even in cooler weather. If you’ve had bad sunburns, used tanning beds often, or spent a lot of time in the sun without protection, it’s even more important to get your skin checked by a professional.
If you have had skin cancer before, have unusual moles, or have a close family member with melanoma, your risk may be higher. You might need regular checkups with a dermatologist and a screening plan that fits your medical history.
If you have many moles or spots in hard-to-see places like your scalp, back, or ears, it can be tough to notice changes. Having someone help you check at home is useful, but it is still important to see a professional if you’re worried about a specific spot.
Some medical conditions, medicines, or organ transplants can raise your risk for skin cancer. If your immune system is weaker, talk with your healthcare team about how often you should be screened and if you need to see a specialist.
The ABCDE guide is a helpful way to spot common warning signs of melanoma. Keep in mind, though, that skin cancer does not always look the same.
Warning Sign | What to Notice |
|---|---|
| A: Asymmetry | One half of the spot looks different from the other half. |
| B: Border | The edges appear irregular, blurred, scalloped, or poorly defined. |
| C: Color | The spot contains multiple colors or develops new areas of brown, black, red, white, or blue. |
| D: Diameter | The spot is larger than approximately 6 millimeters, although melanoma can be smaller. |
| E: Evolving | The spot changes in size, shape, color, height, texture, sensation, or behavior. |
The “ugly duckling” sign also matters. A lesion that looks distinctly different from every other mole on your body deserves attention, even if it does not meet every ABCDE characteristic.
Other warning signs are a rough patch that won’t go away, a shiny or see-through bump, a dark line under a nail, a firm lump, or a sore that keeps crusting, bleeding, healing, and coming back. If you’re worried about any spot, talk to your doctor.
DermaSensor is an FDA-cleared medical device designed to assist with the evaluation of certain skin lesions that have already been identified as suspicious. It’s indicated for patients age 40 and older and supports decisions about whether a lesion should be referred to a dermatologist for further investigation.
The device is intended to assist an authorized non-dermatologist physician. It’s used together with the patient’s history, a visual examination, and other clinically relevant information. It isn’t intended for routine scanning of normal skin, direct consumer use, or evaluation of every mole during a general skin check.
DermaSensor uses a technology called Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy. The device directs light into a suspicious lesion and analyzes how that light scatters from cellular and subcellular structures beneath the skin’s surface.
A validated algorithm processes the spectral data and provides an immediate result. The assessment is non-invasive and does not require an incision, tissue removal, or recovery period.
DermaSensor is cleared to assist with the evaluation of lesions suggestive of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma. These are three of the most common and clinically significant forms of skin cancer.
The device does not determine which type of cancer may be present. Its role is to indicate whether the lesion’s spectral characteristics support monitoring or further investigation.
DermaSensor provides one of two primary outputs: “Monitor” or “Investigate Further.” A Monitor result indicates that the device did not identify spectral characteristics strongly associated with malignancy. The lesion still needs to be considered alongside the complete clinical assessment, and follow-up may be recommended if it changes.
An Investigate Further result does not mean that cancer has been found. It indicates that the lesion warrants additional clinical attention, generally through referral to a dermatologist. A dermatologist may examine the area with specialized tools and determine whether a biopsy is needed.
Looking at your skin is still the main part of any check. DermaSensor gives extra information that cannot be seen just by looking. This helps your doctor make a better decision about any suspicious spot.
The device gives results right away during your visit. You do not have to wait for images to be sent somewhere else to find out if you need more follow-up.
DermaSensor collects information without cutting your skin or taking any tissue. There is no downtime, and the test doesn’t leave a mark.
Some spots are hard to judge just by looking. Extra information from DermaSensor can help your doctor know when to refer you to a dermatologist. It also helps make a clear plan for follow-up, so nothing is missed.
At your visit, you will talk with your provider about the spot that worries you. Be ready to share when you first saw it, how it has changed, if it causes any symptoms, and if you or your family have had skin cancer. Past sunburns, tanning, immune issues, and earlier biopsies may also matter.
The area will be visually evaluated. If the lesion is suspicious, you are at least 40 years old, and DermaSensor is appropriate within its cleared indication, an authorized physician may use the device as part of the assessment. The reading is taken directly from the lesion and produces an immediate result.
What happens next depends on your overall situation. Some spots may just need to be watched, while others should be checked by a dermatologist, no matter what the device shows, because of how they look, act, or your medical history.
A dermatologist is the appropriate specialist for diagnosing and treating skin cancer. If a lesion appears concerning or receives an Investigate Further result, you may be referred for specialized evaluation.
A biopsy remains the only way to confirm whether skin cancer is present. During a biopsy, a dermatologist removes part or all of the lesion so the tissue can be examined under a microscope. DermaSensor doesn’t replace this process and should never be used as the sole reason to rule cancer in or out.
Patients with a previous melanoma, a strong history of skin cancer, extensive atypical moles, or another high-risk medical condition may need comprehensive and ongoing dermatology care rather than a focused lesion assessment.
You need sun protection all year round. UV rays can reach your skin on sunny days, through clouds, and by reflecting off snow, ice, and water. Wearing outdoor clothing helps, but you should still protect areas like your face, ears, neck, scalp, and hands.
Pick a broad-spectrum sunscreen that works for your skin and activities. Use plenty of it and reapply if you are outside for a long time. Hats, sunglasses, shade, and UV-protective clothing also help keep you safe outdoors.
Check your skin at home often in good light. Use a full-length and a handheld mirror to look at your back, scalp, feet, nails, and other hard-to-see spots. Taking clear photos of any spots can help you notice changes over time.
Iron Beauty is dedicated to caring for people who live active lives in Alaska. Taking care of your skin is part of that promise. If you are worried about a spot, you can expect a careful check, a clear explanation, and guidance on what to do next.
We combine careful exams with advanced technology when it is helpful. DermaSensor is not a shortcut or a replacement for seeing a dermatologist. We use all the information we have to help you know if a suspicious spot needs more attention.
You do not have to wait until a spot hurts or looks serious to ask about it. If a mole, growth, patch, or sore has changed or just does not seem right, make an appointment to get it checked.
At Iron Beauty Health and Wellness, we provide careful skin checks and clear advice for people in Wasilla and the Mat-Su Valley. If you need more care, we will help you know what to do next.
No. DermaSensor helps an authorized physician assess whether a suspicious lesion should be monitored or further investigated. A biopsy and microscopic examination of the tissue are required to diagnose skin cancer.
No. The device is not cleared as a general screening tool or for routine scanning of normal-appearing moles. It is intended for targeted evaluation after a physician has identified a lesion as suspicious.
The FDA-cleared indication applies to patients aged 40 and older with a lesion suggestive of melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma. The device is intended for use by an authorized physician who is not a dermatologist.
A new, changing, bleeding, itching, or non-healing lesion still deserves prompt medical attention. DermaSensor is not cleared for patients younger than 40, but a dermatologist can evaluate suspicious skin changes at any age.
A Monitor result is not a diagnosis and cannot guarantee that a lesion is benign. Your physician considers the result together with the lesion’s appearance, your history, symptoms, and other clinical information. A referral may still be recommended when other findings are concerning.
No. It means the lesion has characteristics that support additional evaluation. Many referred lesions prove to be benign. A dermatologist and, when appropriate, a biopsy determine the diagnosis.
Visual screening is painless. DermaSensor is non-invasive and gathers its reading without needles, incisions, or tissue removal.
Yes. Skin cancer can develop in every skin tone. In darker skin, it may appear in less expected locations such as the palms, soles, nails, or inside the mouth. Any persistent or changing lesion should be evaluated.
There is no single schedule that fits everyone. Your age, sun exposure, number and type of moles, immune status, and personal or family history all matter. A dermatologist can recommend an individualized schedule if you have elevated risk or a previous skin cancer.
Coverage varies by health plan and by the services provided. Contact Iron Beauty and your insurance carrier before your appointment if you have questions about pricing or reimbursement.
