It doesn’t matter whether you are a bit of a sun worshipper or hide away in the shade all summer – we should all be more aware of the risks of skin cancer.
In fact, melanoma is one of the top five most commonly diagnosed cancers in the UK (with rates doubling since the 1990s). If caught early, it can actually be easily managed. Yet, tragically over 2,300 people will die from melanoma every year in the UK, and Cancer Research UK suggests that 86 per cent of those cases are preventable.
So, what can we do to prevent it? As well as staying safe in the sun (particularly by wearing sunscreen), keeping a track of any suspicious or changing moles is the best way to keep yourself safe. And, there’s now a high-tech ‘mole mapping’ technology that makes that process even easier.
CF’s beauty editor Becki Murray booked in at Montrose London – a specialist dermatology and aesthetic clinic to try the leading mole mapping technology, and to discover why mole mapping can be such an important (and potentially life-saving) appointment to make post-summer.
What is sun damage and how can it cause skin cancer?
Basking in the sunshine might feel lovely, but sun damage can occur when your skin is exposed to its UV rays (especially if you let your skin burn). Over time, this exposure can cause significant harm to your skin; not only visually in terms of causing wrinkles and hyperpigmentation, but also through deeper cellular damage. It is the latter that can cause skin cancer: the rays slowly damage your DNA, causing mutations that can lead to abnormal or uncontrolled cell growth and a suppressed immune response.
There are different types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, the most common form that develops in sun-exposed areas such as the face and neck; squamous cell carcinoma, that has a higher risk of spreading; and melanoma, which can be the most dangerous, and that starts in the melanocytes cells that give your skin pigment.
Checking your skin for signs of these abnormal lesions can help you catch any changes or potential cancers early enough to get easy treatment. You can check your skin at-home (more on that later) or get your moles professionally ‘mapped’, which is recommended – at least initially, and especially if you have concerns.
What is mole mapping?
Mole mapping is a process that gives you a detailed record of the moles on your body. It is traditionally done through a visual analysis of your skin by a dermatologist, who may also use a dermascope (like a mini magnifier) to look more closely at your skin, before taking photographs.
More recently however, new technology is allowing even greater analysis of your moles, using AI-aided camera-based techniques, alongside dermatological expertise. This allows you to keep a comprehensive track of the size, shape and colour of your moles, making it easier to spot changes and aid the early detection of potentially deadly melanoma.
Mole mapping is highly recommended for anyone who has a greater risk of skin cancer, such as those with a family history or any previous significant sun burns and/or sun bed use, especially as a child or young adult. However, considering skin cancer could happen to anyone regardless of gender or skin colour, we can all benefit from it. The process, which is totally non-invasive, is also used to reduce unessential biopsies of your skin which could cause unnecessary scarring. No wonder it is highly recommended post-summer, when we may have overindulged in the sun.
What is a mole mapping experience like?
I went to get my moles mapped at Montrose London – a chic and discreet dermatology and aesthetic clinic in Belgravia, which you access through a private gated garden. It feels more like a members’ club than a medical hospital, so you feel immediately at ease although – as I was soon to discover – it has a lot of high-tech medical equipment up its sleeve.
First up (after a short wait in a cosy, living room-esque waiting room) was a detailed skin check with the consultant dermatologist Dr. Mariana Noy, who gave my skin a thorough once-over from head-to-toe using a dermascope. As a SPF-wearing, non-sun bed user with only a scattering of moles, I didn’t have any specific concerns, but I do have moles that vary in appearance – some are darker or more raised for example – so I was intrigued to know what to be looking out for in terms of risk factors.
“We don’t tend to get many new moles after the age of 30, so do keep an eye out for any sudden appearances or changes,” Dr. Noy advises. “Anything that looks different – especially over a few weeks or months – should be investigated. We also tell our medical students to check for ABCDE [something Melanoma UK suggests everyone bears in mind when checking their own skin in the mirror].”
This means checking for:
- Asymmetry
- (Irregular) Borders and Bleeding
- (Multiple) Colours
- Diameter over 5-6mm (although smaller moles can still be harmful)
- Evolution – the main one: aka has a mole significantly changed?
I didn’t have anything Dr. Noy was particularly worried about but, for a comprehensive check, it was now time to go downstairs for the techy-side of the experience. Montrose London is the only place in the UK currently using the Canfield Scientic IntelliStudio3® with DermaGraphix®, which (to decode for us regular people) looks a little like the scanners you get at an airport, except this time the turntable is in front of a special frame-mounted camera. Under the watchful eye of a skin cancer nurse, this camera moves up and down your body from a distance, taking high resolution images of your body in different positions. It’s a sans-clothes experience, but it’s less awkward than you may imagine, and the device is surprisingly fast, even with the need to do some turning and various positioning.
After the photos are taken, they are analysed using the device’s AI-technology (a step that takes just seconds), and then each lesion is graded from ‘no concern’ to ‘further action required’ according to an in-depth internal database. It was fascinating to see all the moles on my body in great detail (luckily none of which were flagged as a concern), and when I return in the recommended 12 months, each lesion would be recaptured and then compared, meaning the tech can pick up even the most minute changes, which might be missed – even with a dermascope. I left the 45 minute-long appointment feeling totally reassured after a summer of sunny travels.
And, if the device or Dr. Noy had found something more suspect, Montrose London won’t just send you away. The clinic is founded by plastic surgeons so you can arrange surgical removal of suspicious moles on the same day, to be sent for histology. This can ensure any potential skin cancer is dealt with as early, quickly and effectively as possible – reducing your risk of receiving a more advanced skin cancer diagnosis.
How to protect yourself at home
Of course, the best way to protect yourself from skin cancer is to be sun safe every day of the year (not just when it is sunny outside). That means using a broad spectrum sunscreen, as well as avoiding tanning beds, wearing protective clothing, and keeping out of the sun where possible. Self-checking at home is also important, so remember the ABCDE acronym that Dr. Noy mentioned: look for asymmetry, uneven borders, multiple colours, large diameter and evolution (aka is it changing and growing?). If you do notice anything, Dr. Noy suggests monitoring it for two to four weeks, and then going to see your doctor.
Mole mapping is advised at least once a year if possible, and more if you have any concerns – but checking your moles at home in-between appointments will help you to notice any warning signs to highlight to the team, or give you extra peace of mind in between appointments.
We may earn a commission if you buy something from any affiliate links on our site.
Any Questions or Tips to add?