What to expect at a full-body skin check

I’ve been meaning to go to the dermatologist for years. At 32, with pale, freckled skin and a growing number of moles I obsessively monitor, I knew it was important — but I was nervous. Nervous about what they might find. Nervous about the unknown.

But after living for a few years with a red, sty-like dot on my eyelid (and Googling “is this skin cancer?” more times than I care to admit), I finally booked an appointment at Georgia Skin Specialists in Atlanta. I didn’t overthink it. I didn’t even research what a skin check actually involved. I just showed up.

Here’s how it went.

The office was easy to find, with plenty of parking. After checking in, I was taken to a room and handed a paper sheet to drape over myself. A full-body exam is definitely full-body. The doctor checks everything f