When it comes to your health screenings, you need to schedule more than just your mammogram. While mammograms are a crucial part of the screening process, they're not the only test you should be having done. In fact, if you're only having your mammogram, you may be putting you at risk for other health-related problems. To make sure your doctor has everything they'll need to assess your health risks, here are four health screenings, you shouldn't be missing.

Check Your Cholesterol Levels

You might not think that a cholesterol test would be part of a women's health screening, but it's actually a vital part of screening process. High cholesterol can lead to heart disease, which is a leading cause of death for women. In fact, studies show that 1 in 4 women die from heart disease. When you meet with your doctor to schedule your mammogram, be sure to request a blood test to have your cholesterol levels tested. Depending on the results, your doctor will be able to help you create lifestyle changes that will elevate your good cholesterol and reduce your bad cholesterol.

Don't Pass on the Pap Smear

If you've already gone through menopause, you may think that you can pass on the routine pap smears. Unfortunately, that's not correct. In fact, you'll need to continue having your annual pap until you're at least 65 years of age. The pap smear is necessary for diagnosing cervical cancer. If diagnosed early, cervical cancer can be treated. However, early detection is crucial. To reduce your chances of developing cervical cancer, don't pass on the pap smear portion of your women's health screenings.

Remember the Colonoscopy

When you're scheduling your health screenings, you've got to remember the colonoscopy. If you're like most women, you probably dread the idea of the colonoscopy. However, the few minutes you spend having your colonoscopy can be instrumental in identifying colon cancer, which is the third most common cause of cancer according to statistics. Not only that, but studies show that there will be nearly 100,000 new cases of colon cancer diagnosed in 2018. Make sure your getting the health screenings you need by scheduling your colonoscopy.

Get Familiar With Your Skin

If you're not paying attention to your skin, you're overlooking the biggest part of your body. You might not realize this, but skin cancer screenings are another vital part of your women's health screenings. In addition to having your skin examined by your doctor, you should also spend some time getting familiar with your own skin. Pay attention to moles that might have changed, or moles that have recently developed. Don't forget to look between your toes, on the bottom of your feet, and on your scalp.

Contact a doctor, like Holzhauer, James L, for more help.