Can a GP Do a Skin Check, or Do You Need a Dermatologist?

Yes, a GP can do a skin check by assessing your mole, spot, lesion, or skin change. However, you need a dermatologist if the spot is complex, high-risk, unclear, difficult to treat, or needs specialist diagnosis or management.

If your GP is unsure, they will refer you to a dermatologist or another doctor with more experience in skin cancer care, so you receive the best possible care. It does not mean they are incompetent; it simply means they care more about your well-being than their own image.

Can a GP Do a Skin Check?

Yes, a GP can check your skin, assess suspicious moles or spots, use a dermatoscope where available, decide whether monitoring is enough, and refer or biopsy when needed.

A GP skin check can include:

• checking a single mole or spot
• assessing a new or changing skin lesion
• looking at a suspicious freckle, lump, scab, patch, or sore
• reviewing sun-damaged skin
• discussing your skin cancer risk
• deciding whether you need a biopsy, removal, monitoring, or referral

Some GPs also have additional training or a special interest in skin cancer medicine. Many skin cancer checks begin in general practice, especially when the GP has experience with skin cancer screening, dermoscopy, mole checks, and lesion assessment.

During a skin cancer check, a doctor may ask about your moles, risk factors and medical history, check the skin throughout your body, use a tool with light and magnification, remove or biopsy a suspicious spot, or refer you to a dermatologist.

Not every GP offers full-body skin checks, so ask when booking. A short appointment for one spot is different from a full-body skin cancer check.

What Happens During a GP Skin Check?

During a GP skin check, your GP examines your skin concern, asks about any changes, checks for risk factors, and explains the next steps. It is not just a quick glance at a mole.

The GP may ask:

• When did you first notice the mole or spot?
• Has it changed in size, colour, shape, thickness, or texture?
• Is it itchy, bleeding, crusted, scaly, painful, or not healing?
• Do you have a personal history of skin cancer?
• Does your family have a history of melanoma or skin cancer?
• Have you had significant sun exposure, sunburn, or solarium use?
• Do you have many moles or atypical moles?

The doctor may then inspect the spot with the naked eye and use a dermatoscope, take a photo, compare it with other moles, and look for changes in size, colour, shape, inflammation, bleeding, or itching.

At the end of the appointment, the GP will give you a clear next step. That may be reassurance, monitoring, photography, biopsy, excision, pathology testing, or referral to a skin cancer doctor or a dermatologist.

When Is a GP the Right First Step?

A GP is the right first step when you need an assessment of a mole, spot, or skin change and are not sure whether specialist care is needed. This is especially true when you have:

• a new mole or new spot
• a changing mole
• one lesion you are worried about
• a spot that looks different from your other moles
• a crusted, scaly, itchy, bleeding, or growing area
• sun-damaged skin
• a routine skin cancer check request
• a need for referral advice
• a follow-up question about a known skin concern

You do not need to solve the GP-versus-dermatologist question before getting checked. The important step is getting the spot assessed by the right person at the right time.

Cancer Council Australia advises people to get to know their skin, check for new spots and changes to existing moles, and talk to a doctor about skin cancer risk and early detection. It also notes that melanoma can appear as a new spot or as an existing spot that changes in colour, size, or shape.

For a changing mole, the worst option is waiting while deciding who to see.

When Do You Need a Dermatologist?

You need a dermatologist when the concern requires specialist diagnosis, treatment planning, or complex skin management. Seeing a dermatologist is better when:

• the diagnosis is unclear
• the lesion is high-risk
• the spot is changing quickly
• there are multiple suspicious lesions
• you have a previous melanoma history
• you have repeated or complex skin cancers
• you have strong family history of melanoma
• you are immunosuppressed
• the lesion is on the face, eyelid, lip, ear, nose, scalp, or another cosmetically sensitive area
• removal is complex
• scarring or cosmetic outcome is a major concern
• the lesion keeps coming back
• you want a specialist second opinion
• your GP recommends specialist review

In most cases of basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, treatment can be carried out by a GP. But if referral is needed, the patient may be referred to a GP with more experience in skin cancer, a dermatologist, or a surgeon.

GP vs. Skin Cancer Doctor vs. Skin Cancer Clinic vs. Dermatologist

Different providers can check skin, but they do not all serve the same role. The right choice depends on the spot, your risk level, the doctor’s training, the equipment available, waiting time, location, and what treatment may be needed next. A GP can be the right first door for a skin concern. If the skin check shows that specialist care is needed, a referral is needed.

What Should You Ask When Booking a Skin Check?

Asking the right questions matters because a short GP consult for one mole is not the same as a full-body skin cancer check. If you have multiple moles, sun damage, a history of skin cancer, or several concerns, book the right appointment from the start.

Here are some useful questions to ask before booking:

• Do you offer full-body skin checks?
• Is this appointment for one spot or a full skin check?
• Does the doctor use a dermatoscope?
• How long should I book?
• Can the doctor biopsy or remove a suspicious lesion?
• Will I need a separate procedure appointment?
• What happens if I need a dermatologist referral?
• What are the fees and Medicare rebates?
• Should I bring photos of the mole or spot changing over time?

What If the GP Says the Spot Looks Fine?

If the GP says the spot looks fine, ask why referrals or tests are not needed, what changes to watch for and when to return.

You can ask:

• What signs should I watch for?
• Was the mole measured or photographed?
• When should I come back for another check?
• Should I return earlier if it changes?
• Do I need a full-body skin check later?
• Can I get a second opinion if I am still worried?

A reassuring check is helpful, but it does not mean you can ignore future change. If the spot grows, bleeds, crusts, changes colour, becomes painful, or starts looking different from your other moles, book another review.

Do Not Delay a Changing Mole or New Spot – Book Now

Don’t keep waiting when your mole is changing, a new spot appears, or a skin patch looks different from the rest of your body. Book a skin cancer check with a GP to assess your skin as soon as possible and get clear advice on the next step before it becomes serious.

See a doctor for:

• a new spot
• a mole that changes colour, size, or shape
• a spot that bleeds, crusts, itches, or becomes tender
• a scaly patch that does not heal
• a sore that keeps returning
• a spot that looks different from your other moles
• a skin change on the scalp, nails, soles, palms, or between toes
• small red, pale or pearly lumps
• crusty sores that do not heal

Skin cancers can occur on parts of the body not usually exposed to the sun, including the soles of the feet, between the fingers and toes, and under the nails.

FAQs

Can a GP do a skin check?

Yes, a GP can check moles, spots, lesions, and skin changes. Some GPs also have additional training or a special interest in skin cancer medicine.

Do I need a dermatologist for a skin check?

Not always. A dermatologist is useful for complex, uncertain, high-risk, recurrent, or cosmetically sensitive lesions. However, your local GP or skin cancer doctor is often the first point of contact.

Can a GP diagnose skin cancer?

A GP can assess suspicious skin changes and decide whether the spot needs monitoring, biopsy, removal, pathology testing, or referral. GPs can assess and manage many common skin cancers, but complex cases are referred to specialists.

What is the difference between a GP skin check and a dermatologist’s skin check?

A GP skin check is often the first point of care for moles, spots, and skin changes. A dermatologist’s skin check is specialist care for complex lesions, high-risk patients, recurrent concerns, specialist skin diseases, and second opinions.

What does a GP use to check moles?

A GP may use a dermatoscope, a handheld tool with light and magnification, to check moles. They may also measure, photograph, monitor, biopsy, remove, or refer the lesion depending on the finding.

When should I see a dermatologist instead of a GP?

See a dermatologist instead of a GP when the diagnosis is unclear, the lesion is high risk, the spot is on a cosmetically sensitive area, you have a history of melanoma, you need complex treatment, or your GP recommends a specialist review.

Should I get a full-body skin check or just have one mole checked?

A spot check is suitable when you have one specific mole or lesion of concern. A full-body skin check is better when you have multiple moles, sun damage, past skin cancer, family history, or if you have not had a skin check before.