If any suspicious lesions are detected during your routine skin check, further diagnostic tests, such as a skin biopsy, may be advised. Based on the results of these tests, a treatment plan is suggested which may include either nonsurgical methods or surgical removal of the lesion. In addition to our dermatologist’s skin examination, we advise regular skin self-examination at home. If you find any new or changing skin lesion in between appointments, contact our clinic or your GP for a review immediately.

The Cancer Council has some guidelines on skin self-exams at home:

Dermatologists are the specialist doctors recognised by Medicare to provide expert diagnosis and management of skin disorders. All dermatologists who are fellows of the Australasian College of Dermatologists have had extensive clinical training over many years in the diagnosis and management of skin cancers, including skin surgical procedures.

After working for several years as a doctor, an aspirant dermatologist undertakes at least four additional years of full-time study and examinations to become a qualified dermatologist in Australia. A dermatologist becomes a member of the Australasian College of Dermatologists only after an extensive and rigorous examination process at the end of four years of speciality training. Further, dermatologists are required to maintain an extremely high standard of ongoing education after receiving their speciality training to remain fellows of the college.

You may come across skin cancer clinics staffed with doctors having qualifications such as membership in a college of skin cancer medicine or a diploma in practical or clinical dermatology. These are NOT specialist qualifications and are not recognised as such by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency or Medicare. The training associated with these qualifications is aimed at GPs and usually involves a short fee-paying course requiring several days to weeks.

At Kew Dermatology, we are providing additional appointments to try and keep our waiting list short. It is likely that you will be seen within 4 weeks if you need a skin check. For very urgent conditions, an urgent referral form may be downloaded and sent directly to our clinic by your GP. An example of an urgent case is suspected melanoma. For these situations, we can arrange an urgent appointment within 2 working days.

To check the available appointments, please ring our receptionists at (03) 9853 2111.

At Kew Dermatology, we provide you with the best possible service and outcome for your skin health. This involves taking sufficient time to plan and discuss your treatments as well as providing a professional environment and consulting rooms with specialised equipment for your treatment. Due to the high costs incurred in running a specialist medical practice, we do not bulk-bill our appointments.

If you get a referral letter from your GP, it is possible to claim a portion of the fees back from Medicare. This enables us to keep your GP informed regarding your treatment course as we always send a report back to your GP following your visit.

For patients who have extensive skin cancer and require multiple treatments or visits to the clinic, we consider the costs incurred and try to limit your out-of-pocket expenses.

Department of Veterans’ Affairs patients (veterans) with appropriate cover are treated without out-of-pocket costs. If you have further questions regarding appointments or fees, feel free to call our reception staff at (phone).

We have access to a fully equipped photographic studio at Kew Dermatology for full-body photography. Not all patients require this during their ongoing skin survey. Patients who can benefit from this service are those with several irregular moles and those who find difficulty in monitoring their skin at home. Fullbody photography needs a separate appointment, at a different clinic, and lasts for at least 30 minutes. If only one area of the body requires a photo, then your dermatologist will take it during your skin check visit at Kew Dermatology.

If you bring a referral form from your GP, you are eligible to claim from Medicare a portion of the consultation fee, which is currently $72.75 for new patients.