How will I know I have melanoma?

You won’t know if you have melanoma of the skin until your doctor has yarned with you, completed a physical examination and done some tests. The tests might include:

• a photo of your spot so they can check later to see if it changes
• a dermatoscopy, where the doctor looks over your skin and checks your spots with a strong light and a magnifying glass
• a biopsy, where they take a tiny bit of your skin and look at it with a microscope  
• imaging tests like an ultrasound, a CT scan or MRI scan to see what your insides look like.

Most people who have these tests find out they don’t have cancer. But it’s important to check.

If you have any of these problems, or are worried about something else, yarn with your doctor, nurse or Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health worker.