A new dermatology clinic in Chatham is offering advanced skin cancer screening services aimed at improving early detection of melanoma and reducing the need for patients to travel to larger cities for specialized care.
Chatham Skin Clinic, located on Keil Drive South, is led by Dr. Queenette Asuquo, a licensed physician, emergency room doctor and general practitioner with a focus in dermatology. The clinic is introducing Automated Total Body Mapping (ATBM), a high-resolution imaging system designed to digitally map and monitor skin changes over time.
Dr. Asuquo said the clinic is intended to support earlier detection of skin cancer at a time when cases continue to rise across Canada, while also improving access to specialized screening in the Chatham-Kent region.
“Patients are often told to monitor their moles at home, but this can be difficult, especially for lesions on the back, scalp, or other hard-to-see areas,” says Dr. Asuquo. “Total body mapping provides a much more reliable way to monitor the skin over time and supports earlier detection of potentially concerning changes.”
The ATBM system uses high-resolution and polarized imaging to capture detailed photographs of the skin’s surface. Patients are guided through a standardized imaging process while the system documents pigmented lesions that may require follow-up. The images are then reviewed by Dr. Asuquo using dermoscopy and clinical assessment, with biopsies recommended if necessary. In other cases, lesions may be monitored over time as the system tracks changes digitally.
“Patients are often amazed by the technology,” says Dr. Asuquo. “It gives many people peace of mind knowing that their skin has been thoroughly examined and digitally monitored from head to toe.”
The clinic notes that melanoma can affect people of all ages and emphasizes that early detection remains a key factor in successful treatment outcomes. Risk factors highlighted by the clinic include family history of melanoma, a personal history of skin cancer, having many or atypical moles, fair skin with light-coloured eyes and hair, and significant ultraviolet exposure from sunlight or tanning beds.
Patients are also encouraged to be aware of warning signs commonly associated with melanoma, including asymmetry in moles where one half does not match the other, irregular or uneven borders, variation in colour, larger diameter, and evolving changes in size, shape or symptoms.
The clinic will host an open house on Tuesday, June 23, from noon to 7 p.m. at 125 Keil Drive South, offering tours of the facility and demonstrations of the new imaging technology as it opens its doors to the public.
