asking for a friend: yes, butts get skin cancer too
reader is caught off guard when a dermatologist appointment turns into a search-and-recover mission of her genitals.
mar 6 2020
3 minute read
skin checks include the whole body. stock/ getty
dear asking for a friend,
i am 36 years old and i have a lot of moles on my body. one was removed last year because my doctor thought it looked funny. it turned out to be benign, but now i see a dermatologist every year for a mole check. i have always kept my bra and underwear on, except this time the dermatologist asked me to take everything off. she was very thorough, checking my vagina and around my anus. this was disconcerting to say the least and very unexpected. is this now part of a normal exam?
dear um-why-are-you-looking-there ,
we at asking for a friend totally get where you’re coming from and you have every right to ask questions. according to the canadian cancer society (ccs) , 20 per cent of melanomas can occur on skin that is rarely exposed to the sun. so even if you’re not a naked sun worshipper, you’re still at risk. it sounds like your doctor did the right thing by systematically checking the entire surface of your skin (and yes, that includes your genitals and anus) for any signs of skin cancer.
given your previous experience with a worrisome mole, we don’t have to tell you that skin checks are important and should be a part of your yearly health exam. because skin cancer can creep up in the folds of skin not always exposed to the sun, you want to make sure your doctor is as thorough as possible. but know that we feel your pain. we wish that health care providers didn’t have to go ‘down there’ during a routine skin exam too, but it is what it is.
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prevention is everything and skin checks can save your life.
“a skin exam allows your doctor or other trained health professional to look for any signs of skin cancer or abnormal areas of skin,” says elizabeth holmes, manager of health policy at the canadian cancer society. “getting regular and thorough skin exams can help find skin cancer early.”
according to the canadian dermatology association , melanoma is one of the top 10 most common cancers in the country. approximately 7,200 canadians were diagnosed with melanoma in 2017, and 1,250 of those died from it. studies show that in canada, the lifetime risk of melanoma is slightly higher for men than women, but health care providers recommend that everyone should be checked annually.
so, what are the key markers of skin cancer and more importantly, can you spot it yourself? the short answer? not really. especially if it’s down there .
the ccs says skin cancer can manifest in a number of different ways. some moles can be asymptomatic (meaning they cause no physical symptoms, but look a little weird or asymmetrical, have irregular borders, colour or diameter), and then there are moles that look perfectly normal, but may itch, bleed or cause a tingling sensation. your best bet is to get all of your skin checked by a health care professional.
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as with all health exams, if you feel unsure or uncomfortable with what your doctor is doing, tell them to stop and ask questions. don’t feel obligated to proceed with the exam if you feel that something isn’t quite right. learn to trust yourself and get a second opinion if you need to.
that said, many of us here at asking for a friend, have had our butt cheeks examined way way closer than we ever wanted. but if it means that something serious gets caught early, we’re down with that.
is there something about health that you (or a friend, wink, wink) have always wondered about, but are too embarrassed to ask? send a note to info@healthing.ca. we promise your ‘friend’s’ secret – and identity – is safe with us! next week afaf helps a reader who is worried about having her period during a pap test.
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