Most people assume skin cancer looks obvious - a dark, angry lesion that's impossible to miss. The reality is often quite different. Some of the most serious skin cancers start as subtle changes to an existing mole or a new spot that doesn't look particularly alarming. That's precisely what makes them dangerous.

There's a common assumption that skin checks are for people who fit a particular profile - fair skin, a family history of melanoma, years of working outdoors, or a past that involved a lot of sun exposure. It's an understandable assumption, but it's also one that stops a lot of people from booking an appointment they would genuinely benefit from.

One of the most common concerns patients have before a skin check isn't the appointment itself, it's not knowing what happens next. What if something is found? What does a follow-up actually involve? How long before you hear back about a biopsy?