Can a doctor tell if something is skin cancer by just looking?

I have a red itchy, burning patch on my skin that is not leaving...(near my eye) The doctor is not concerned about it and I tend to worry. How does a doctor decide when to biopsy something? Can they tell visually if something is skin cancer or not from all their years of schooling?Can a doctor tell if something is skin cancer by just looking?
To an extent, yes a doctor can tell some things based on appearance and experience. Skin cancer doesn't usually have a red appearance, nor does it generally itch or burn. You wouldn't be surprised if the doctor told you a rash was hives, and you could trust the diagnosis without having to have a biopsy done. This falls into that same category. You can also get a diagnosis from a simple skin scraping, without having to remove a patch of skin at all, in a lot of skin disorders. Most skin cancer starts with a mole or freckle, and not just a random patch of skin. So your doctor would be able to make a good diagnosis based on appearance and experience, yes.Can a doctor tell if something is skin cancer by just looking?
Most skin flaws a Dr will be able to answer a definite yes or no to skin cancer.


There are some that fall into the ';suspicious'; category, which means they need a biopsy to be done.


It sounds like yours does not even fall into the ';suspicious'; category.





It sounds more like an allergy or reaction from your description.
See a dermatologist if you have a sore or scab that doesn't heal in about two weeks or a flat patch of scaly skin that won't go away. There are local skin cancers that appear as red, flaky patches (Squamous cell carcinomas).