- Australia carries one of the world's highest melanoma burdens, with an estimated 17,400 new cases in 2025 and approximately two in three Australians diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70.
- Early detection is critical, as five-year melanoma survival rates reach approximately 94% when caught early but drop sharply with late-stage diagnosis.
- Dr Tass Tasiopoulos advises that any new or changing lesion displaying the ABCDE warning signs — asymmetry, irregular border, uneven colour, diameter above six millimetres, or evolution over time — requires prompt assessment by a GP or dermatologist, not a cosmetic clinic.
- Lesions that bleed, itch, or fail to heal also require medical diagnosis and potential biopsy, which falls outside the scope of cosmetic practice.
- Benign age-related skin changes such as seborrhoeic keratoses, solar lentigines, and dermatofibromas may be suitable for cosmetic treatment, but a medical assessment must come first to rule out more serious conditions.
MELBOURNE, Australia — 16 October 2026 — Dr Tass Cosmetic & Skin Clinics, a Melbourne cosmetic medicine practice led by Dr Tass Tasiopoulos, a registered medical practitioner with more than 17 years of clinical experience and over 60,000 procedures performed, says one of the most consistent clinical questions he receives heading into summer is also one of the most important: how does a patient know whether a change in their skin warrants urgent medical attention, or a cosmetic consultation, or simply monitoring.
The question matters because Australia's skin cancer burden is substantial and unevenly distributed. The AIHW estimates 17,400 new melanoma cases in Australia in 2025, making melanoma the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in the country. Australia and New Zealand share the world's highest melanoma incidence rate, at 63 cases per 100,000 persons. Approximately two in three Australians will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer before the age of 70, according to the Cancer Council. Five-year survival for melanoma reaches approximately 94% when detected at an early stage, but drops sharply with late-stage diagnosis. The gap between those two outcomes is almost entirely determined by when the lesion is first assessed.
The clinical distinction Dr Tass draws for patients is between changes that require urgent dermatology referral and changes that reflect normal skin ageing or cosmetic concern. A new or changing lesion with any of the ABCDE warning signs: asymmetry, irregular border, uneven colour, diameter above six millimetres, or evolution over time, warrants prompt assessment by a dermatologist or GP with skin cancer training, not a cosmetic clinic. The same applies to lesions that bleed, itch, or fail to heal. These presentations require diagnosis and, where necessary, biopsy, which falls outside the scope of cosmetic practice.
Ageing skin changes that are frequently misidentified as concerning, including seborrhoeic keratoses (the rough, scaly raised patches that appear with age), solar lentigines (flat brown age spots from cumulative sun exposure), and dermatofibromas, are benign and often amenable to cosmetic treatment if a patient chooses. The clinical priority is distinguishing these from presentations that are not benign, and that distinction requires a medical assessment, not a cosmetic consultation.
"Patients arrive at this time of year having noticed something on their skin and having spent three weeks deciding whether to do anything about it. My consistent advice is: if it is new, if it has changed, if it does not look like the other marks on your body, see your GP or a dermatologist first. A cosmetic clinic can address the ageing concern once the skin health question has been answered. Do not let the cosmetic question delay the clinical one," said Dr Tass Tasiopoulos, MBBS, BSc Hons, FCPCA, founder of Dr Tass Cosmetic & Skin Clinics.
About us:
About Dr Tass Cosmetic & Skin Clinics
Dr Tass Cosmetic & Skin Clinics is a Melbourne-based cosmetic medicine practice founded by Dr Tass Tasiopoulos (MBBS, BSc Hons, FCPCA), a registered medical practitioner with more than 17 years of clinical experience since 2009 and over 60,000 procedures performed. The practice operates across three Melbourne locations: Crown Spa Melbourne, Port Melbourne, and Ripponlea, and holds AGPAL accreditation.
Contact details:
Media Enquiries
Dr Tass Cosmetic & Skin Clinics
Stephanie Tasiopoulos
03 9908 3737
