Skin Cancer

Melanoma checks and excisions in Alice Springs

Checking your skin regularly for any new or changed freckles and moles can help identify and treat skin cancer before a surgery is necessary. There are 3 main types of skin cancer:


  1. Melanoma (including nodular melanoma)
  2. Basal cell carcinoma
  3. Squamous cell carcinoma


It is important to get in the habit of checking your skin as these types of cancers rarely hurt. Some of the common changes to look out for include:


  • New moles
  • Moles that itch or tingle
  • Moles that bleed or weep
  • Moles that have increased in size
  • Spots that look different from others
  • A mole outline that has become notched
  • A spot that has changed colour from brown to black or varied
  • The surface of a mole has become rough, scaly or ulcerated

As normal moles and skin cancers look very similar to the average person, you can see our doctors to investigate further. We will discuss your level of risk based on your skin type and offer advice on early detection.


To test a lesion or mole, we may need to perform a punch or shave biopsy. This will help us to determine if we need to do an excision to remove it entirely. An excision is a minor surgical procedure that takes approximately 20 minutes (depending on the size of the mole).


For more information about skin cancer symptoms and causes, you can visit the Cancer Council website. If you notice any changes in your skin, make an appointment with our doctors to have it checked it out today.

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