Book in for a ‘spotcheck’ with Dr Lizzie if you have any lesions of concern that are:

• Symptomatic (painful, itchy, bleeding, crusty or non-healing) 

• New (especially if over 40 years old) 

• Changing

• Red, pale or pearly in colour

Dr Litt and her nursing team perform comprehensive skin cancer checks using the latest technologies. It is particularly important to have your skin checked regularly if you:

• Have had a previous diagnosis of skin cancer or melanoma

• Have skin that always burns, never tans, and is sensitive to sun exposure

• Have a family history of melanoma

• Have a large number of moles

• Spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun through work or recreation

• Have a history of sunbathing, frequent sunburns or have used solariums

Dr Litt will check your skin from head to toe, looking for any suspicious skin lesions using a dermatoscope, which is a device to help visualise skin cancer at its earliest stages. 

This consultation is provided in a safe and comfortable environment, and entails all clothing, except for underwear, to be removed. Genital areas will not routinely be checked unless you raise a concern. If necessary, a skin lesion biopsy will be performed during your consultation. We also request that patients remove all their makeup prior to their appointment. 

Dr Litt will advise how frequently you require your skin to be checked. Regular checks lead to early detection of skin cancers, giving you an improved chance of successful treatment outcomes. 

Sometimes lesions require a partial or complete biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and guide excision planning or management. A punch, shave or excision biopsy can be performed. Most biopsies are very quick using extremely small needles and specially constituted local anaesthetic, causing minimal to no discomfort. 

Dr Lizzie performs skin surgery in Port Skin Clinic’s state-of-the-art procedure rooms under local anaesthetic. Her friendly and highly trained nursing team ensures you are at ease throughout the process and fully understand the procedure and after care involved.

Dr Litt can perform facial excisions and flaps and skin grafts depending on the type, size and location of the lesion. However, under specific situations, she will refer you to a general or plastic surgeon.

Following treatment, your wound will be dressed appropriately, and you will receive detailed post-operative instructions on how to care for the area. A follow-up appointment is often required to either remove sutures or ensure adequate healing.

There are non-surgical options to treat specific lesions, such as precancerous sun spots(actinic keratosis) and superficial non-melanoma skin cancers (squamous cell carcinoma in situ and superficial basal cell carcinoma). 

Options include: 

• Cryotherapy - The application of liquid nitrogen to a lesion.

• 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) Efudix - A topical chemotherapeutic cream to treat sun spots or SCC in situ, applied to lesions twice a day for 4-6 weeks. 

• 5-FU + Calcipitriol - Emerging topical treatment to treat sun spots or SCC in situ, applied to lesions twice a day for 4 - 8 days

• Imiquimod (Aldara) - A topical cream that stimulates the body’s immune system to treat superficial BCCs. It is usually applied once daily 5 times a week for 6 weeks.

Areas of sun-damaged and potentially precancerous skin (Actinic keratoses) can be treated to prevent the subsequent development of SCCs. This involves treating these areas with topical creams such as 5 FU cream or compounded 5 FU and calcipotriol.

Niacinamide B3 can also be recommended for high-risk skin cancer patients to reduce the risk of skin cancers.