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For most people, life should be back to normal shortly after treatment is completed. You will still have regular follow up appointment as an outpatient.
Some treatments will leave your skin more sensitive to the sun than it was before. So, it is important that you protect yourself from the sun. We have information on how to be sun-safe on the page 'How to reduce the risk of skin cancer'.
Regular self-examination
Anyone who has had melanoma is at an increased risk of getting it again. This is called recurrent melanoma. You will need to get in the habit of checking yourself regularly for suspicious signs.
Your doctor or clinical nurse specialist will show you how to examine your skin for any lumps or swellings, especially around the area of the operation and the nearby lymph glands. You will also be shown how to check for changes in the size, colour or shape of existing moles or birthmarks.
If you find changes, or a new mole appears, please contact your GP immediately.
If the melanoma returns, it will probably be within the first 2 years after treatment, but it can be many years later. You should continue to check your skin 3 or 4 times a year as a matter of routine.
Follow up
Follow-up visits to your local hospital will be arranged. These check-ups will be arranged for 3-4 times in the first year, and will continue, with decreasing frequency, for between 3-5 years following your operation. At the appointments you will be examined to check for new or returning melanoma.
For more information on what will life be like after treatment, click here to go to the 'getting back to normal' page of this website.
