Contact & assessment

If a lesion has changed, or the colour change is recent and generalised

Do not wait for a routine appointment. A mole or spot that is changing in size, shape or colour, that itches, bleeds or fails to heal; darkening that has developed over weeks rather than years; darkening away from sun-exposed skin; or darkening with unusual tiredness, weight change or dizziness all need medical assessment rather than a cosmetic plan. Darkening with yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine or pale stools is seen promptly.

Arranging an ordinary assessment

Where the unevenness has developed gradually and there is none of the above, appointments are made through the hospital outpatient line or through the appointment service described on the appointments page. Say that you are asking about your skin so that the right clinic time is booked. If you are travelling from outside Chongqing, say so when you book, because any tests can sometimes be arranged alongside the assessment in fewer visits.

What to bring

Bring every product you currently put on your face, or a photograph of the labels, including cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens and anything prescribed, and say how long you have used each and how often. Bring a list of your medicines, including hormonal contraception and anything obtained without a prescription, because several common medicines change skin colour. A set of photographs taken in the same light and at the same distance over a few months is genuinely more useful than a description.

What happens at the consultation

Expect a history and an examination rather than a device demonstration. When the unevenness began and what else changed at the same time, what has already been tried and what happened, where on the face it sits and how sharp its edges are, what the skin does under pressure, and how the surface behaves in raking light. You should leave knowing which category is present, how deep it sits, which steps are worth attempting, which are not, and what the realistic ceiling is.

Questions without booking

Questions about the content of this site, including any correction you believe should be made to it, are welcome through the hospital administration line. Clinical questions about your own skin are best answered in person, and we will say so rather than guess.