GETTING NAKED AT DERMATOLOGIST I confess – I think the note/survey I responded to from my dermatologist sort of intentionally got her to examine me “more thoroughly.” And I enjoyed it! I’m a male, I go to female dermatologist once a year for what they call “full body skin cancer check-up”. I read some articles, did some online searches, and learned that to be complete, dermatologists should be checking patients’ g******* and literally spreading their b*** cheeks and checking their a***! My dermatologist never did that. She barely glanced at my g******* and b*** and never my a***. So when the survey came to me prior to my exam this year, I mentioned that I thought the examination could be more thorough. And I mentioned how the article I read indicated that skin cancer is not limited to only the skin that has been exposed to the sun. It can appear anywhere on the body and dermatologists should be thorough and examine the entire body, according to this article.

Well, survey received! At this year’s appointment, I was asked to remove ALL my clothing and put on the flimsy gown. Normally, the nurse says to keep on underwear. And when the exam began, the doctor brought an “observer” with her into the room. My heart was racing. She introduced her by mentioning that today “we’re going to be a little more thorough than usual, as the body ages, skin cancers can appear anywhere, not just where exposed to the sun…” and I was like “uh-oh” she read my survey! They were very thorough – had my legs up on these padded things, spread wide open, and tilted the table so my g******* were raised up, and on full display! And she had the observer girl hold my cheeks apart while she examined my a*** with a lighted magnifying glass! Everything checked out fine, no problems. She said she wanted to take some photos for reference though, just for records, and comparison for future visits. She took photos of my ears, nose, back, arms, legs, and yes, g******* and a***! She sent them electronically to a printer and continued talking to me and examining me. There was a knock at the door, and the receptionist brought the photos (printed on 8.5 x 11 sheets) of me in for the doctor. The doctor, with the observer nearby, flipped through the images and made a few marks on them, telling me that she wanted to keep an eye on moles/marks. She asked if I’d like copies, and I was caught off guard, and I said yes. She had the observer take the photos and had the receptionist make copies! I wonder if she made copies for themselves! The doctor explained that normally patients don’t understand the importance of a “full-body” exam and we talked about the survey and she asked if I had any questions. I said no. Smiled. And she smiled too. I confess I enjoyed that examination and the embarassment of being naked in front of them, the photos, everything!