A recent study published in the Archives of Dermatology surveyed 1,669 doctors, including dermatologists, to see how many carried out full-body skin checks on their patients. The results were depressing, at least to my eyes. Almost half said they didn’t – and the main reason was their patients’ reluctance to disrobe.

First of all, I think it’s part of a doctor’s duties to be persuasive when it comes to patient care. I try to make a full-body check part of every new patient’s protocol. If they tell me they’re too stressed or too busy, I ask to them to schedule another time. And if they tell me they’re only here for a cosmetic procedure, I remind them it’s not only free, it may save their lives. Of course, if they still refuse I can’t force them, but I wish people understood how necessary it is. Seriously, better to feel slightly embarrassed than to end up dead from a melanoma.

I do understand that patients may feel reluctant, so my staff and I try to make it as comfortable and as painless as we can. Patients are asked to get into cloth gowns, so they are never completely naked, which seems to make a big difference for many people. I make sure that the exam room is warm and I check the patient from head to toe quickly but thoroughly. Usually it’s five minutes or less; sometimes we take photographs so we can document suspicious moles for later check ups.

One last comment: a full-body scan should only be performed by a board certified dermatologist, because family practitioners and internists do not have the training to recognize subtle changes and early lesions.