What are the benefits of having regular mole mapping appointments?

Benefits of regular mole mapping are that any abnormal moles will be picked up quickly and that any subtle changes in your moles can be detected by the machine. In addition your images will be examined by a dermatology consultant. The earlier that abnormal moles and skin cancers are detected the quicker they can be removed and this will mean a higher cure rate.

What happens if a suspicious mole is found?

If a suspicious mole is found then the dermatology consultant will inform you about this and arrange to discuss with you what approach would be best. This may mean a further mole map in 3-6 months or it may mean the mole needs to be excised (cut out under local anaesthetic). If a mole needs to be removed then the mole would be sent for analysis (histology) to look at the pattern of cells in the mole to determine if it was harmless, dysplastic, atypical or malignant (cancerous).