The Skinny on Skin Exams

By Dr. Benjamin Bashline

Awareness around skin cancer and sun prevention has increased in recent years. While it’s great that we are becoming more sun-aware, it’s equally important to understand what you need to be monitoring for and when you need to see your dermatologist. Connect had the opportunity to speak with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Benjamin Bashline with Harpeth Valley Dermatology and he gave us tips and guidelines to follow when checking out our moles.

At-home skin checks are very important. You want to check yourself every three to six months and especially monitor for any new or changing spots. Taking photos of lesions can be very helpful, as it’ll be easier to monitor for any changes. The back is a large surface area, so getting a partner or family member to check your back is extremely helpful. If anything is noted that is new or changing, seeing your board-certified dermatologist is your next step.

There are many things to look out for on the skin. The usual rule we apply for things to be watchful of is the ABCDEs of melanoma.

• A is asymmetry, so if one half of a mole or spot does not look like the other half, that can be concerning.
• B is for border, which refers to the border of a mole. This normally should be smooth and rounded but often is jagged or irregular in melanoma.
• C stands for color, which refers to a mole with a darker color than your other moles, or if it contains more than one color. Often melanomas will be darker in color or have large color variations within them.
• D is for diameter, which refers to the size of a mole being greater than 6mm or the eraser side of a pencil. This is likely the least important of the bunch, as many normal lesions can be larger than that size.
• E stands for evolution. This is the most important of all the letters. If a mole is noted to be changing, it’s very important to get examined by a board-certified dermatologist, who can determine if the spot requires a biopsy or if it can be monitored.

Those changes are fairly specific to melanoma. The more common skin cancers we see are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Those two types of skin cancer can appear as a red to pink papule that often will bleed or scab on its own. Often they can resemble a pimple, but don’t resolve in one to two months and continue to grow. We frequently see these in areas that are chronically sun-exposed (like the face, neck, arms, shoulders and ears), but they can appear anywhere. If you do notice a lesion like this, get in to see your dermatologist so they can examine it.

Intervals for being examined by a dermatologist depend on several factors. Generally speaking, we recommend yearly exams for anyone over the age of 50, regardless of personal or family history of skin cancer. If there’s a strong family history of skin cancer, or if the individual in question has previously had skin cancer, a yearly exam is recommended regardless of age. The most important rule of thumb is if you notice any lesions you are not comfortable with or have noticed changes to, get in to see your board-certified dermatologist as soon as possible. We have many tools at our disposal (including dermoscopy,
which is the use of a polarized magnifying scope to examine skin lesions) and years of experience that make us extremely proficient at identifying lesions that could be skin cancer and removing them if needed.

Make sure to wear your sunblock and watch for any new or changing moles!

ABOUT DR. BASHLINE
Dr. Bashline is a Board Certified Dermatologist who practices general dermatology. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in History from Creighton University in 2008 and received his medical degree from Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine in 2013. Dr. Bashline completed his residency in Dermatology at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital System – Michigan State University in 2017.

Dr. Bashline has authored numerous journal articles and presented at several large dermatology conferences around the country. Dr. Bashline has a special interest in complex medical and tropical dermatology. Dr. Bashline is currently a member of the American Academy of Dermatology, the Tennessee Dermatology Society and the Tennessee Medical Association. Dr. Bashline is additionally trained in aesthetic dermatology, including facial rejuvenation with injectable toxins and fillers, as well as laser modalities.

Outside of medicine, Dr. Bashline enjoys traveling, staying fit and active, and exploring Tennessee.