You can get a skin cancer screening at a dermatologist’s office, your primary care doctor’s office, a free community screening event, or through a mobile clinic. The best option depends on your risk level, budget, and how quickly you want to be seen.
Dermatologist’s Office
A board-certified dermatologist is the gold standard for skin cancer screening, especially if you have risk factors like a history of melanoma, frequent sunburns, tanning bed use, or a family history of skin cancer. Dermatologists diagnose melanoma with significantly higher accuracy than primary care doctors. In one study comparing the two, dermatologists identified melanomas with 76.9% sensitivity, while primary care physicians caught only 37.5%.
To find a dermatologist near you, the American Academy of Dermatology runs a searchable directory at find-a-derm.aad.org that lists AAD member dermatologists by location. You can also ask your primary care doctor for a referral, which some insurance plans require before covering a specialist visit.
A full-body skin exam typically takes 10 to 15 minutes. The dermatologist visually inspects your skin from scalp to feet, looking for anything unusual. If they spot a suspicious lesion, they may perform a biopsy that same day.
Your Primary Care Doctor
If getting a dermatology appointment feels like a long wait (and in many areas, it is), your primary care doctor can perform a skin check during a regular visit. For the two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, primary care physicians diagnose them with accuracy similar to dermatologists. Their sensitivity was 81.4% for these cancers, compared to 79.0% for dermatologists in one head-to-head comparison.
Where primary care falls short is melanoma detection. If your doctor spots something uncertain, they can refer you to a dermatologist or request an electronic consultation with one. The vast majority of lesions seen in primary care turn out to be benign, so for average-risk patients, starting with your regular doctor is a reasonable first step.
Free Screening Events
Two major organizations offer free skin cancer checks each year. The American Academy of Dermatology coordinates free screenings across the country. You can check availability in your state at aad.org, where a map shows scheduled events by location. Not every state has screenings at all times, so check back periodically.
The Skin Cancer Foundation runs a program called Destination Healthy Skin, a mobile screening clinic that travels to cities starting each April. Volunteer dermatologists provide free screenings, typically from 10 AM to 4 PM, at community locations like YMCAs, parks, and malls. The schedule changes year to year, with stops in cities across the Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic. You can check the current schedule at skincancer.org. No appointment is needed for most of these events, but availability is first-come, first-served.
These free screenings are a visual check only. If the dermatologist finds something concerning, they’ll recommend you follow up with a provider who can biopsy the spot.
What Insurance Covers
Here’s something that surprises many people: Medicare does not cover skin cancer screening for people without symptoms. If you have no suspicious spots and simply want a routine check, Medicare won’t pay for it. However, if you’ve noticed a change in a mole, a new growth, or anything that concerns you, Medicare covers that visit because it’s now a diagnostic evaluation rather than a screening. If your doctor notices something suspicious during a visit for another reason and extends the exam, that can also be covered.
Private insurance varies widely. Many plans cover an annual skin exam as preventive care, particularly if you have documented risk factors. Others treat it as a specialist visit with a copay. Call your insurance company before booking to avoid a surprise bill. If cost is a concern and your insurance doesn’t cover a screening, the free events listed above are your best alternative.
Telehealth Skin Checks
Several services now offer virtual skin checks where you upload photos of concerning spots for a dermatologist to review remotely. This can be convenient and fast, but it has real limitations. In one study of teledermatology accuracy, the remote diagnosis matched the in-person diagnosis about 76% of the time. One in five submissions was rejected entirely, mostly because the photos weren’t clear enough. Of biopsy-confirmed skin cancers in the study, about 61% received the correct specific diagnosis remotely, while roughly 25% couldn’t be assessed at all and had to be escalated to an in-person visit.
Telehealth works best as a triage tool. If you have a single spot that’s worrying you and want a quick opinion on whether it needs an in-person exam, it can save time. It’s not a substitute for a full-body screening, since it only evaluates the spots you photograph and submit.
How to Prepare for Your Screening
A little preparation makes the exam faster and more thorough. Skip makeup on the day of your appointment, since foundation and concealer hide the skin your doctor needs to see. Sunscreen alone on your face is fine. Remove nail polish from your fingers and toes beforehand, because melanoma can develop under nails and dark polish makes it impossible to check. Avoid heavy hairspray or scalp powder, which can obscure spots on your scalp. Self-tanner won’t interfere with the exam.
Before your visit, make a list of any spots that are new, have changed shape or color, or just look different from everything else on your body. Taking photos ahead of time helps, especially if a mole has been evolving over weeks or months. You can show the dermatologist what it looked like before.
During the exam, you’ll typically change into a gown. The doctor checks everywhere, including your scalp, between your toes, and behind your ears. If you’re uncomfortable having certain areas examined, like your groin or buttocks, you can say so. Bring a brush or comb if you want to fix your hair afterward.
How Often to Get Screened
There’s no single guideline that applies to everyone. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has not issued a firm recommendation for or against routine skin cancer screening in people without symptoms, citing insufficient evidence to set a universal schedule. That doesn’t mean screening has no value. It means the ideal frequency depends on your individual risk.
Most dermatologists recommend an annual full-body skin exam for people with elevated risk: a personal or family history of skin cancer, a large number of moles, a history of blistering sunburns, fair skin that burns easily, or a history of tanning bed use. If you’ve had melanoma, your dermatologist will likely want to see you every three to six months. For average-risk adults with no concerning history, an exam every one to three years is a common recommendation, paired with monthly self-checks at home using the ABCDEs of melanoma: Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter larger than a pencil eraser, and Evolving size, shape, or color.