Aurora Skin Cancer Centre
We offer a high quality service towards the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer.
This process involves:
- full skin check
- assessment of any spots, cysts or lesions on the skin, this may be done via biopsies
- minor surgery and other treatments in the clinic if any suspicious lesions are found
- routine monitoring and follow up.
Doctors working at our skin clinic have undertaken additional training and education in skin cancer diagnosis and management.
Our Aurora Skin Cancer clinic is predominantly run on Wednesday and Thursday from 9am – 4pm from our South Wangaratta Medical location.
At our skin clinic, skilled doctor/s can additionally provide the following services:
- alopecia, eczema, allergy management
- wedge resection of nail for ingrown toenail
We should all check our skin regularly to get to know your skin and take immediate action if you notice any changes!
Did you know that two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the age of 70? However, the good news is – 95 per cent of skin cancers can be successfully treated if detected early. You should become familiar with your skin, so you can notice any changes that might suggest an abnormality.
- Crusty, non-healing sores
- Small, red, pale or pearly coloured lumps
- New spots, freckles or moles that seem to change in colour, thickness or shape
Annual skin checks by a Skin Cancer Doctor are encouraged for individuals to comprehensively.
During your initial skin check consultation, the doctor will examine any suspicious, changing or rapidly growing spots or moles and may use a magnifying instrument called a dermo scope to see them more clearly. Your GP may take a photograph or measurement and instruct you about what to look for in between appointments.
If the doctor identifies a concerning spot, he will advise of any action required. This may involve investigation procedures, such as a biopsy, to investigate the spot of concern. For your convenience this is recommended to be done on the same day of your skin check. Please allocate sufficient time (i.e., minimum of 1 hour) for your skin check appointment.
Skin cancer is diagnosed by physical examination and biopsy. Results from a biopsy can often take a week to come through. At your follow up appointment, the doctor will inform you of the results and if further action is required.
If you do have skin cancer, you may require treatment procedures such as cryotherapy or surgical excision to remove the affected area with a safety margin of normal skin around the site of the growth to ensure complete removal.
An excision is a surgical procedure where local anaesthetic is injected into the area near the suspicious spot. The doctor will remove the spot and a small area of tissue around it using a scalpel. Stitches will be used to close up the wound and the sample will be sent to a laboratory for examination. If an excision is quite wide a skin flap may be utilised as a form of wound closure. A local skin flap consists of skin taken from an adjacent area and moved to fill the surgical defect created from the removal of a skin lesion/cancer.
Medical consumables and antibiotic ointment will be utilised during the procedure and to ensure the wound is sutured and dressed appropriately to enable the best healing results.
Following a procedure/excision you will then require a follow up appointment for post-procedure wound care and removal of stitches where required. The timing and number of appointments required will depend on the location, size and type of excision/procedure performed.
Dr Dipankar Chakraborty (Dr Dip)
Accreditation: MBBSLocation/s: South Wangaratta Medical CentreSpecial interests: Skin Cancer Medicine Aurora Skin Cancer Centre is led by Dr Dipankar Chakraborty who studied medicine at the Grant Medical College in India, and graduated with distinction 1988. He has 30 years of experience as a doctor. He strives to provide high quality care to his patients. Dr
