ABSTRACT
The skin is the largest and most vulnerable organ of the body. It is involved in a number of important jobs; these include providing a protective surface for the contents of the body, helping with thermoregulation, sensation and the storage of vitamin D, water and fat. It is made up of a number of layers, each of which has its own functions. There is an emphasis on general inspection of the body surface first before moving on to a more focused assessment of the lesion identified. In actual clinical practice it is important to ask patients to remove any make-up, as this may distort the lesion. Melanoma is a form of skin cancer with an annual incidence of >10 000 people in the United Kingdom. Laparoscopic scars are difficult to see by their very nature, but increasingly laparoscopic surgery is becoming commonplace.
