Dr. Ben Wiese

03/05/2026

A hidden danger. This is a story about the skin cancers you can see, and the ones you can’t.

Meet our 72-year-old patient. With his fair skin, red hair, blue eyes, and numerous moles, he knew he was at a higher risk for skin cancer. He was vigilant, and correctly identified a melanoma on his chest and was aware of many basal cell carcinomas.

But the biggest surprise was a thick, invasive melanoma hiding on his lower abdomen, completely obscured from his view by his belly. In total, we identified 32 basal cell carcinomas and two separate melanomas.

His story is a powerful reminder for us all. While knowing your risk factors is crucial—especially for those with fair complexions—skin cancer can affect anyone. It’s not just about the spots you can see. New or changing moles can appear anywhere, even in places you can’t easily check yourself.

Regular, full-body skin examinations by a healthcare professional are vital for early detection. The earlier we find it, the better the outcome. If you’ve noticed any new or changing spots, or if it’s time for your annual check, please don’t wait.

Our team in the Okanagan is here to help. Call our office to schedule your comprehensive skin assessment. www.DrBenWiese.com



Disclaimer: This post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information shared is not intended to create a physician-patient relationship. Please consult with a qualified healthcare provider for any health concerns or before making any decisions related to your health or treatment. Individual results may vary. The patient has provided full, informed, and written consent for the sharing of their story and images for educational purposes. Services provided at our clinic are private and not covered by the Medical Services Plan of BC.

03/02/2026

This patient presented with a 1 mm thick melanoma on his lower leg.

What made it stand out? It was the only pigmented lesion on his leg — the classic “ugly duckling.” 🦆

The ugly duckling sign refers to a mole that looks different from all the others on your body. Even if it’s small, even if it’s not changing dramatically — if it stands out, it deserves attention.

In this case, the melanoma is thick enough that a sentinel lymph node biopsy is recommended to determine whether any microscopic spread has occurred. This is an important staging step that helps guide further management.

Melanoma caught early is highly treatable. As thickness increases, the risk of spread also increases — which is why early detection matters.

If you notice:
• A spot that looks different from your other moles
• A new or changing lesion
• Something that simply doesn’t look “right”

It’s always a good idea to have it assessed by a qualified healthcare professional.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not individual medical advice. If you have concerns about a skin lesion, please speak directly with your physician or dermatologist.

02/25/2026

If you have a lot of moles, your risk of melanoma is significantly higher.

In this video, you’ll first see a patient with numerous moles across his back — something we commonly see in clinic. We then highlight a melanoma that was identified using total body photography with the FotoFinder ATBM mole-mapping system.

Melanoma can develop subtly and may look similar to other moles. When someone has many moles, detecting change with the naked eye alone can be challenging. That’s where careful documentation and follow-up become important.

Living in the Okanagan and throughout the Interior of British Columbia means higher UV exposure for much of the year — and UV radiation is a major risk factor for skin cancer.

If you have:
• 50+ moles
• A personal or family history of melanoma
• A mole that is changing, darkening, or looking different from the others
• Significant lifetime sun exposure

It’s worth having your skin assessed by a qualified healthcare professional.

Early detection matters.

This post is for educational purposes only and is not individual medical advice. If you have concerns about a specific lesion, please book an appointment with your physician or dermatology provider.

02/24/2026

When your wife says, “You should get that checked”… she’s usually right.

This fair-skinned, blue-eyed, light-haired gentleman came in at his wife’s insistence to have a few “spots” looked at.

What we found:

🔎 Left ear: Squamous cell carcinoma
🔎 Left temple: Another squamous cell carcinoma
🔎 Cheek: Multiple red, rough patches consistent with actinic keratoses (sun damage that can evolve into skin cancer)
🔎 Mid-forehead: A small nodular basal cell carcinoma — not visible to the naked eye, detected only with dermoscopy

He hadn’t noticed the forehead lesion at all.

This is a common scenario in the Interior and Kelowna area, where outdoor living + high UV exposure + fair skin significantly increase skin cancer risk.

Key reminders:
• Skin cancer is not always obvious
• Some lesions are subtle and require dermoscopy to detect
• Actinic keratoses are warning signs of cumulative sun damage
• Fair skin, light eyes, and a history of sun exposure increase risk
• And yes — sometimes your spouse is your best screening tool

Most importantly: Prevention matters.
Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, protective clothing, and regular skin checks can make a significant difference. @ www.drbenwiese.com.

If you live in high-UV regions like the Okanagan and have fair skin, proactive skin exams are especially important.

02/14/2026

Skin cancer can show up where you least expect it.

In this video, a 65-year-old professional was diagnosed with melanoma in between the toes—a spot he didn’t even know to check. He assumed skin cancer only appears on sun-exposed areas.

But melanoma (and other skin cancers) can appear anywhere on the body, including places that rarely see the sun:
🦶 Between the toes
👣 Soles of the feet
🖐️ Palms and under nails
👂 Behind the ears
🧑‍🦲 Scalp
🩲 Groin/buttocks

Take 60 seconds to do a head-to-toe check once a month:
✅ Use a mirror (or a partner) for hard-to-see areas
✅ Check between toes and soles of feet
✅ Look at nail beds and the scalp
✅ Watch for a new, changing, dark, or different spot (“the ugly duckling”)

When to get checked sooner:
• A spot that’s changing (size, shape, color)
• A lesion that bleeds, itches, or won’t heal
• Anything that looks different from the rest

If you notice something concerning, book an assessment with your family doctor, dermatologist, or local clinic.

Educational content only—not medical advice. If you have a concerning spot, seek an in-person medical assessment.

02/13/2026

A 1 mm melanoma… on the tip of the nose — and he had no idea.
In today’s video you’ll also see a significant actinic keratosis and an area concerning for early Bowen’s disease (SCC in situ) on the left upper lip.

Why this matters (especially in BC’s Interior):
If you have fair skin, light eyes (blue/green), freckles, or burn easily, your risk is higher for all skin cancers — including ones you might not notice until someone trained looks closely.

3 big takeaways:
1. Small doesn’t mean harmless. A melanoma can be tiny and still serious.
2. Sun damage adds up. Actinic keratoses are common, but “advanced” or changing spots need assessment.
3. Skin cancer can appear anywhere. Not just on “sun-exposed” areas — check your scalp, nails, between toes, soles, and anywhere you don’t typically look.

Protect your skin (daily habits that work):
• Use broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 40+ (at least SPF 30), and reapply when outdoors.
• Cover up: wide-brim hat, UV-protective clothing, sunglasses.
• Seek shade when the sun is strongest, and avoid tanning beds.

What to do next:
• Do a monthly head-to-toe self-check (use mirrors or a partner).
• If a spot is new, changing, bleeding, not healing, or “just feels wrong,” get it assessed.
• If you’re high-risk (fair skin/light eyes, lots of sun exposure, personal/family history), ask about regular skin exams.

Privacy & consent: This video is shared for education with the patient’s express consent and with identifying details minimized/removed.

Medical disclaimer: This post is general education and not personal medical advice. If you’re worried about a spot, please see your primary care provider/dermatology clinic or urgent care as appropriate.

— Dr. Ben Wiese

02/12/2026

Confession from a skin cancer doctor: I thought this was SCC… and I was wrong.

A patient came in worried about a new pink bump on the left neck that had grown fast — 2–3 weeks. Clinically, it looked like something I see all the time: squamous cell carcinoma.

So we did what you’d expect: an excisional biopsy (remove it and send it to pathology).
And that’s where the case flipped.

✅ Pathology showed this was not SCC.
It was a very aggressive melanoma: Breslow 12 mm, ulcerated, 10 mitoses/mm².
Next step: sentinel lymph node biopsy to help evaluate possible spread.

Here’s the other part that matters just as much: the patient was only concerned about the fast-growing neck spot. But because I asked him to fully undress for a complete skin exam, we also found a second melanoma on the left chest — a brown lesion that had been slowly changing over 2–3 years (Breslow 0.6 mm).

Two melanomas. Two completely different presentations.
And one of them didn’t look like melanoma at all.

Take-home message:
If a spot is new, changing, bleeding, growing, or “just feels wrong,” get it checked. Even experienced clinicians rely on biopsy — because appearances can fool us.

Protect your skin (especially in Interior BC):
• UPF clothing + shade
• Broad-spectrum sunscreen
• Regular self-checks
• See your health-care provider if you’re concerned

Educational content only. No identifying patient details. Management varies by individual and should be guided by your clinician.

02/11/2026

A small “opening” on the right lower eyelid that doesn’t heal deserves attention.

In this case, the spot was initially thought to be something more benign—like an inflamed or blocked eyelid gland. But it persisted and failed to heal. The diagnosis: basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common type of skin cancer.

Key takeaway:
If you have a sore, scab, or “pimple” on the eyelid (or anywhere) that keeps crusting, bleeding, ulcerating, or simply won’t heal over weeks, don’t ignore it—get it assessed. Early diagnosis and treatment matter, especially around the eyes.

Watch for warning signs like:
• A sore that won’t heal
• Recurrent bleeding or scabbing
• Ulceration (“open” area)
• A pearly/shiny bump or rolled edge
• A red, irritated patch
• A scar-like area that slowly enlarges
• Any changing lesion on sun-exposed skin

📍If you’re concerned, speak with your family doctor, optometrist/ophthalmologist, or a dermatologist—especially for lesions on or near the eyelids.

Important notes:
• This video is shared for educational purposes only.
• It is not medical advice and does not replace an in-person assessment.
• Details have been limited to protect privacy; posted with appropriate consent.
• If you notice a lesion that isn’t healing, please seek medical care.

02/05/2026

02/05/2026

🟤➡️⚠️ It was “just a sunspot”… until it changed.

This spot had been sitting quietly beneath her left eye for years.
No pain. No symptoms. Easy to ignore.

But over the past 12 months, something shifted:
• It became darker
• The darker area expanded

That change is what mattered.

On dermoscopy, this lesion was diagnosed as lentigo melanoma.

👉 The key message:
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve had something.
Change is the warning sign.

In the Interior of BC, we grow up with:
☀️ strong sun
🏔️ high elevation
🚜 outdoor lifestyles

Many of our patients have sunspots they’ve had “forever.” Most are harmless — but melanoma can develop within long-standing lesions, especially on sun-exposed skin.

🔍 What to watch for:
• Darkening
• Growth
• New asymmetry
• Change in colour or border
• A lesion that just looks “different” than before

If something that’s been stable for years starts changing, trust that instinct and have it checked.

Early detection saves lives — and often allows for simpler treatment.

📍 Proud to care for patients across the Interior of British Columbia, where sun awareness matters year-round.

If you notice change, don’t wait.

02/04/2026

🕵️‍♂️ Skin Cancer Can Be Sneaky #

This patient returned 6 weeks after photodynamic therapy (PDT) for actinic keratosis on the scalp.
Once the sun damage was treated and the redness settled, a tiny 1 mm basal cell carcinoma (BCC) became visible on the right upper scalp.

Basal cell carcinoma often behaves this way —
👉 quiet
👉 slow-growing
👉 hiding in plain sight

Its “goal” is to go unnoticed.

Why this matters:
Actinic keratoses and skin cancers share the same root cause: cumulative UV exposure. Treating one can sometimes reveal another that was previously camouflaged.

Protection still matters — every day:
☀️ Sunscreen daily (yes, even in winter and on cloudy days)
👕 Clothing is the most effective sun protection
🧢 Hats > hope
🚫 There is no such thing as a healthy tan

Early detection makes treatment simpler and outcomes better.

If you notice a spot that doesn’t heal, slowly changes, or just looks “off,” it’s worth having it checked by a qualified medical professional.

Educational post only. Not medical advice. Images shared with appropriate consent.





NoSuchThingAsAHealthyTan