I just recently had my first total body skin exam. For me, it was a surreal experience; not because it wasn’t done very professionally, but because I get a lot of anxiety when it comes to going to the doctor. In fact, that appointment was my first real visit to a doctor, other than walk in clinic stuff, since I was a kid at the pediatricians.
The week prior to the appointment was a long one for me as I couldn’t get the thought of my pending exam out of my mind. The realization really hit home when I received a phone call that Monday to remind me of the appointment that coming week, and to also get my medical history, which is very limited, and what she called a “current health snapshot.”
I tend to obsess when there is something stuck in my mind, and that is what I did. I read so many “what to expect” articles from dermatology websites regarding total body skin exams; which are all pretty much the same and somewhat vague. What helped more was this website and the actual stories from the members.
The day of the appointment came and I woke up early with the feeling of wanting to just get it over with. Thankfully it was a morning appointment so I didn’t have to stress all day waiting. I showered and dressed and got on my way with plenty of time to spare, as I arrived at the clinic thirty minutes early. I waited a while in my car priming myself for what might come, and after about fifteen minutes of reflection I got out and headed for the door.
The clinic is a smaller single-story building. When I entered the main door, a corridor took me right to the receptionist’s desk where a young lady was sitting. “Good morning, how can I help you?” she asked. I told her my name which she looked up, then got my date of birth. Since I had spoken with the office over the phone earlier in the week, there wasn’t any paperwork I had to do, other than sign a consent form stating I agree to be examined.
I was the only one in the waiting area and I didn’t wait long before a young lady, dressed in dark blue scrubs walked up to the receptionist, talked to her briefly and then turned to look at me with a smile and said my first name. “Come on back with me” she said, so I stood up and followed her down a hall. She was very jovial, and chatted with me on the walk back to a door she opened and said “after you.”
Stepping inside it was a small exam room with a padded exam table, which looked more like a bench, situated in the middle of the room. My escort said “have a seat” which I did on that table as she positioned herself to the side of me where a computer was located. She did some clicking on the screen and brought up my file.
“So it looks like you’re here for a new patient skin exam today?” she asked me while still looking at the computer. I told her I was, then she asked if I had ever had one done before? I said I had not.
“Okay, perfect. They’re quick and easy and nothing to worry about. You’ll need to take everything off, but I’ll give you a gown you can wear. Do you want someone to accompany you during the exam? It would be me, if you do.”
She had looked away from the computer and right at me when she asked that. I said, “that’s okay, I’m sure you have better things to be doing.” She smiled at that and said she didn’t mind, but it was up to me. I assured her I was fine.
She then went to a drawer and pulled out a folded-up cloth gown which she handed me. “You can keep your underwear on” she said. “I’ll leave you to it and the doctor will be right in” and with that she went to the door and left the room.
Now alone, the realization of it all was setting in. I had just been instructed to strip my clothes and there was no getting out of it. Resigned to it and not wanting to be not ready when the doctor arrived, I undid my belt and untucked then removed my shirt, my t-shirt, then my pants. I picked up the gown, unfolded it and put my arms through. I still had socks on, and figured those probably needed to come off too; so, I added them to my clothes pile so now my bare feet were on the cold floor.
I took back my place on the exam table, but now in only my boxer-briefs and gown. I didn’t have time to do much reflecting before two quick knocks on the door and in entered a middle-aged man dressed professionally with a tie and knee length white doctor’s coat. He introduced himself and shook my hand then went right to asking me some questions about my health, family history, and any current concerns. He had a very pleasant demeanor, but was all business. No small talk like the nurse that had checked me in. I answered his questions then said that I had one concerning spot that seems slightly raised on my chest. He said “okay, well what I would like to do is go through my routine and examine all of you, that way I can get to know your skin, and we can go over anything concerning to you. Sound okay?” Of course, I agreed.
“Let me just wash my hands then we can get started” he said as he walked over to a sink along the wall in the corner of the room. There was a window right next to it that I hadn’t really noticed. It looked out toward the parking lot and walkway into the building. He went to it and turned the rod that closed the blinds, so that no one could see in. When I saw him do that it instantly dawned on me that I had been taking my clothes off in there and could have been seen by anyone walking or driving by. I guess I was just nervous enough not to have noticed that it could have been an exam room with a view.
After he washed his hands he put on some exam gloves and pulled a rolling stool over to the table and positioned himself in front of me; then took his dermatoscope out of its case. “Let’s start with your hands and arms” he said as he motioned me to hold my right one out for him. It seemed very methodical as he would scan the entirety of my arms and use his dermatoscope here and there.
Once my arms were looked at, he had me scoot back on the table so that my legs and feet were completely on it and not the floor, then he moved the base of the gown up to where my underwear began to show so he had an unobstructed view of the top of my legs and feet which he looked over one after the other.
“I’m going to look at your head, neck and scalp next” he said to me as he positioned himself to my side and started feeling around my head and neck, then through my hair.
“You’re doing great. I’m going to have you stand now and take off the gown so I can see your chest and back.” I did as I was told and put the gown on the table. Now standing in just my underwear, the doctor stood close going over my entire chest and stomach then moving around to my back.
“Everything is looking good” he said as he moved back over and sat back down on the rolling stool. “Stand right here with your back to me and I’ll check the back of your legs.” I did and could feel his hand and his dermatoscope go down one leg and then the other. Then I felt both his hands at my waist, on the band of my underwear, as he said “I’m going to pull these down just to check.” He lowered the back of my shorts down exposing my butt, but only the back of them. After a few moments like that he said “okay, you can turn around.” Leaving my underwear as he had them, I turned. He looked up at me from the stool he was on and asked if he could lower the front of my shorts. I just nodded my head in consent so he lowered them down mid-thigh using both hands to expose everything, then went to examining everything around my penis.
“You can put your underwear back up, and also your pants on if you’re more comfortable like that” he told me. I didn’t say anything, and just got my shorts back up then went to the chair that my clothes were piled on to retrieve and put on my pants. While I was doing that, the doctor went on to say that he didn’t see anything that was too concerning to him and felt that I was of low risk; but the spot on my chest and another one that he saw on my neck were more atypical. His recommendation was to photograph each of those then set up a follow up appointment to see if there are any changes. I was agreeable to that and happy that he didn’t see reason to cut on either of them.
He also said that, if I was okay with it, he would like to have some full body photographs taken to serve as a baseline so that if I ever have a concern, even years from now, there will be some images for reference. Again, I agreed to that. He stood up from the stool and said he would get the photographer, then took out a marker from his pocket, came over to me and circled the two spots in question. With that, he said it was nice to meet me and will see me in four months, then left the room.
I waited for a short while before another knock at the door. “It’s me again, I’m here to take a few pictures.” It was the nurse that had checked me in. She had what I think was just an iPhone in her hand. “I’ll start with the closeups” as she positioned herself behind me and I heard the shutter noise the phone made when it took an image. Then she moved to my other side and did the same thing to the other spot that had been marked.
“Okay, we’re doing some full body so I’ll need you to take your pants off for the next few” she told me. I stood up and undid them for the second time that day and slid them down and off. As I was doing that, I looked at her and asked if she needed my underwear off too? She smiled at me and said “nope, you can keep them on, but if you don’t mind pulling up the legs on them to show the most skin.” I said okay and did that, which pretty much made them fit like briefs.
“Stand right here and put your arms out slightly” she said as she was pointing the phone at me. There must have been some kind of program or app on that phone, because she would look at it then have me adjust in some way before taking the picture. I had several taken of the front, then the back, then she had me lift my arms and she took some of each side. Then it was done.
She told me I could get dressed and get scheduled for the follow-up on my way out. She said it was nice to meet me and thanked me for coming in before she left the room. A wave of relief came over me. It was over now! I retrieved my pants again, but before putting them back on, I took the phone out of the pocket and took a few pictures. This had been an interesting experience for me so I thought why not have a few pics to go with my memory of it?