I started visiting a Dermatologist a few years ago to get some odd patches on my head looked at. I am mostly bald on top and almost always wear a hat but nevertheless I had several AKs (actinic keratosis), they are regarded as precursors to skin cancer but are not skin cancer and probably tied to too much sun exposure years ago, probably when I still had hair but starting to thin. The standard approach is get them dealt with before they become skin cancer. In my case, they do cryotherapy which is controlled frostbite of the top layer of the skin patch. Its quick, just a squirt of a cold product on the skin and a bit of a sting. The skin cells die just like a first degree burn and fall off in the next few days and I am done for another year or two. They also did a full body check but didnt find any issues or concerns. The trick with this treatment is catch it early especially if skin cancer runs in the family as skin with AK is on the path to skin cancer. Generally folks with fair skin from high latitudes are the most impacted. For some it is just an annoyance, but with others if skin cancer is in the family (there is a genetic aspect) it can turn into cancer quickly. The alternative to not doing anything is it can spread to lower layers of the skin and when it needs to be dealt with, its surgery and inevitably it leaves a good size divot as they keep cutting until they hit the edges.
GPs are supposed to do checks but the reality is they end skipping a lot of things during an annual 15 minute physical. I was advised at one point from someone who had to have surgery to just skip the GP doctor and go direct to a dermatologist and that is what I do. The bummer of living up in the woods is its long drive to the nearest one but I usually tie it in with a shopping trip. On the way back I stopped at place I had wanted to stop for for years and they turned out to be full Hsqvarna dealer with a far bigger inventory of XP saws than my local place. I resisted the temptation to buy one
GPs are supposed to do checks but the reality is they end skipping a lot of things during an annual 15 minute physical. I was advised at one point from someone who had to have surgery to just skip the GP doctor and go direct to a dermatologist and that is what I do. The bummer of living up in the woods is its long drive to the nearest one but I usually tie it in with a shopping trip. On the way back I stopped at place I had wanted to stop for for years and they turned out to be full Hsqvarna dealer with a far bigger inventory of XP saws than my local place. I resisted the temptation to buy one
