Sunspots

Many times the legs and feet are covered up and not examined on a regular basis. Then one day, we drop something on the foot or bang our toe and we look down to see the damage and notice a spot. Questions come to mind such as “was that there before and if so, is it now bigger, darker or changed in appearance” or “is this new and if so, is it from the injury or did it just go unnoticed until now”. These questions are important but unfortunately, sometimes hard to answer since we really don’t frequently look at our feet.  So what should you do if you notice something on the skin and not sure when or where it came from?

To begin with, before you apply anything to the area...

• Take out your cell phone or camera and take a picture of it.

Sometimes, ointments or creams can change the actual appearance of the lesion making it more difficult for your physician to make an accurate diagnosis. If you do self-treat, give yourself a specific time line, usually a week or so, to reevaluate it to see if it is improving and resolving or getting bigger, darker or more raised. If not resolving, the area should be examined by a physician and the photograph that you took will be helpful so bring it with you on your appointment.

At your appointment with us, we will take a history and examine the entire area to be certain there are no other skin lesions of concern. A small piece of the skin lesion may be removed and sent to a skin pathologist to confirm a diagnosis and proper treatment. A follow up appointment to review everything and initiate treatment will be made before you leave your first visit.

Together we can diagnose and resolve skin lesions that may be a concern before they develop into something that is more difficult to manage. Call us today.

For more information...

Skin Biopsy

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We are your Seattle area Ankle Specialists; we treat the full spectrum of ankle conditions simple to complex.  Whether you are in Seattle, Bellevue, Everett, Bothell, Arlington, Mount Vernon, or Whidbey Island call us today to make an appointment and we can educate you on ankle and foot problems and better yet find solutions!

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