After skin cancer treatment, follow-up has three parts: check-up appointments with your specialist team, a monthly check of your own skin at home, and sun protection every day. How often you’re seen depends on the type of skin cancer you had and how likely it is to come back, and your team will set that schedule with you.
- Your follow-up schedule depends on the type of cancer and its risk, so ask your team what yours is and why.
- Check your whole skin once a month, including your scalp, your back and the soles of your feet.
- Use SPF 30 or higher every day and stay out of the strongest sun between 11am and 3pm.
- Contact your team between appointments if a spot changes, bleeds or won’t heal. You don’t need to wait.
- Feeling anxious after treatment is common, and your GP, your care team and Macmillan Cancer Support can all help.
What happens at a follow-up appointment?
Your specialist examines your skin, looks at the treated area and asks about anything you’ve noticed since your last visit. If your cancer was large, deep or in a sensitive area such as the face, a wider team may be involved, which can include oncologists, plastic surgeons and specialist nurses.
For some people who had melanoma or a high-risk squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), follow-up can include scans such as ultrasound or CT.
How often will I have follow-up appointments?
It depends on the type of skin cancer you had, how advanced it was and your own risk factors. Your team will set your schedule and tell you when appointments can be spaced out or stopped.
Melanoma follow-up is the most structured. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it follows NICE guidance, and Cancer Research UK sets out the melanoma follow-up schedule stage by stage. For an early stage 1A melanoma, that means an appointment every 6 months for a year. From stage 2B upwards, it is every 3 months for the first two or three years. Scotland follows separate SIGN guidance.
For basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and SCC, the plan depends on how likely the cancer is to come back and whether you’ve had more than one. Ask your specialist what your schedule is and what would make them want to see you sooner.
Your own circumstances matter too. Someone who works outdoors, or whose immune system is suppressed by medication or illness, may need closer checks.
Making the most of each appointment
Appointments can feel rushed, so write your questions down beforehand. Bring a list of any new spots, changes to existing marks or symptoms you’ve noticed.
- Ask which signs mean you should call before your next appointment.
- Ask what your specialist looks for in skin cancer detection.
- If you had reconstruction, ask how it is healing at each visit.
How do I check my own skin at home?
Check your whole body once a month in a well-lit room, with a full-length mirror and a hand mirror. The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) advises a monthly self-check for any new lumps or swellings. After SCC or melanoma, it also advises checking the glands near the original cancer for lumps.
- Look at your face, ears and neck, then your scalp, parting the hair with a comb.
- Check your chest, stomach and both sides of your arms.
- Use the hand mirror to see your back, buttocks and the backs of your legs.
- Sit down to check the soles of your feet, between your toes and your nails.
- Photograph anything new or changing, in the same light and from the same angle each month.
People often miss the scalp and feet, but skin cancer can appear anywhere. Photos are far more reliable than memory for spotting change.
What should I look for when I check my skin?
Look for anything new, anything changing, and any sore that doesn’t heal or bleeds on its own. For moles, the ABCDE rule is a simple guide:
- A for asymmetry: one half doesn’t match the other.
- B for border: the edges are irregular, ragged or blurred.
- C for colour: uneven shading or several colours.
- D for diameter: wider than 6mm, roughly the end of a pencil.
- E for evolving: any change in size, shape or colour, or a new symptom such as bleeding.
Knowing what different skin lesions look like will sharpen your eye over time. If something worries you, contact your team rather than waiting for your next appointment.
How can I lower my risk of another skin cancer?
Protect your skin from the sun every day, not only on hot days. Sun damage still happens when it’s cloudy.
- Put on a broad-spectrum sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher every morning, including in winter.
- Reapply as the bottle directs, and straight after swimming or sweating.
- Wear clothing that covers your skin, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
- Stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm, when UV is strongest.
- Don’t use sunbeds at all.
Keeping the sunscreen next to your toothbrush makes it part of your morning routine. A missed day is far less harmful than giving up the habit altogether.
Many people worry about vitamin D once they cut back on sun. If that’s you, ask your GP whether a supplement would suit you.
What side effects should I watch for after treatment?
Some swelling, numbness, tightness and tiredness are common in the weeks after surgery and usually settle. Contact your specialist if:
- swelling doesn’t go down, or gets worse
- numbness or tingling spreads or doesn’t improve
- a scar feels tight enough to limit movement, or is painful
- tiredness is severe or gets in the way of daily life
- you find a new lump or hard area, especially near the treated site
If your team recommends silicone gel or sheets, they can help a scar settle, and the guide to minimising scarring explains how to look after it. After more complex surgery, you may have several reviews with your surgeon to check healing and any reconstruction.
A simple diary helps: the date, what you noticed and a photo if you can. Show it to your specialist at each visit.
Looking after your emotional wellbeing
Feeling anxious or low once treatment ends is common. The regular contact with your medical team stops, and some people feel exposed without it. Talk to your GP or specialist about how you’re feeling, as they can refer you for counselling or psychological support.
Other things people find helpful:
- a skin cancer support group, locally or online
- Macmillan Cancer Support, on 0808 808 00 00, for practical information and someone to talk to
- relaxation or mindfulness techniques when worry builds between appointments
- regular physical activity, which many people find lifts their mood
You don’t need to wait for your next appointment to raise a concern. If something is worrying you, contact your care team.
Talking to Miss Nayar
Miss Rakhee Nayar is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, FRCS (Plast), MD, and one of fewer than 10 women in the UK dual-trained in both plastic surgery and Mohs micrographic surgery. Her work covers skin cancer surgery, including Mohs surgery, and reconstruction afterwards. If you have questions about your follow-up plan, you can get in touch to arrange an appointment in person or an e-consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How often are follow-up visits needed after skin cancer treatment?
It depends on the type and stage of the cancer and your own risk, so your team will set the schedule. For melanoma, NICE guidance sets the timing by stage, with more frequent appointments in the first few years.
What should I look for when I check my skin?
Look for new spots, sores that don’t heal and moles that change shape, size or colour. Check once a month and contact your team about anything that worries you.
What problems should I look out for after skin cancer treatment?
Contact your specialist about swelling that doesn’t settle, numbness that spreads, a new lump or hard area, or pain in the treated area. Some swelling and numbness at first is normal and usually settles.
Is it normal to feel anxious after skin cancer treatment?
Yes, it’s very common. Talk to your GP or care team, who can refer you for support, or call Macmillan Cancer Support on 0808 808 00 00.
Recommended
- How to minimise scarring after skin cancer removal
- Skin Cancer Detection – Expert Mohs Surgery | UK
- Skin Cancer Treatment & Surgery | Mohs Surgery UK
- Reconstruction After Mohs Surgery
- Skin Care – Oxyhealth
Filed under Recovery and Aftercare
