Detect Early Melanomas with Total Body Photography
We are proud to be utilizing one of the latest mole mapping systems, which offers state-of-the-art mole mapping technology for early Melanoma & skin cancer detection.
What is Mole Mapping & Why Is It Important ?
Full body mole mapping (full body photography) is a technique of making a record of your entire body surface with positions of all individual spots on it. It is well known and acknowledged world wide as one of the best tools in detecting early melanomas. Its importance lies in the ability to compare current and past photographs of moles on the body with the photographs taken in the future. A detailed mole map provides the best method of monitoring the appearance of new spots and to track the changes that occur in the existing ones.
A comprehensive mole check of the entire body is very important because melanoma or another form of skin cancer may develop very slowly without presenting any symptoms or obvious signs of drastic change and, therefore, mole mapping could greatly improve the chances of detection at the earliest possible opportunity.
It is recognized that mole mapping has detected some of the smallest melanomas in the world which was under 1 mm ( smaller than the size of pinhead)
How long does mole mapping take?
The mole mapping process involves taking a series of 20 photographs of your body. The first time takes about 30-40 minutes including a full skin check by the doctor . With follow-up visits, 10 minutes is spent on retaking photo and then approximately 20 minutes comparing both sets of photographs for changes. You should however allow at least 1 hour for your appointment as the doctors sometimes could be running late.
How do I prepare for mole mapping?
proper preparation for the mole mapping is fundamental in obtaining optimal pictures and subsequently early detection of melanoma if present, therefore it is your responsibility to read and follow these instructions prior to your appointment.
- Mole mapping works best if your skin is clean . Please do not wear makeup or nail polish, and wear plain-coloured underwear and bra to the mole mapping session.
- If your spot of concern is in a hairy area, you may wish to shave around the spot a couple of days before your skin check. If you wish to wax or shave a large area of skin, this should be done at least a week before your skin check so that pimples, ingrown hairs and scabs heal.
- If you’ve had recent IPL or laser treatment to your skin, we recommend deferring your skin check for about a month as the IPL treatment can change the colour of your moles.
- If you have applied fake tan or spray tan recently, we suggest putting off your skin check for a few weeks. (We can still check your skin if you are wearing fake tan, but it tends to change the appearance of your spots when examined and photographed.)
- Dry skin can make spots harder to examine. We recommend that you keep your skin well moisturised. Ideally, you should moisturise any dry areas daily for a week or so before your skin check.
Mole mapping: What’s involved and what to expect ?
The mole map procedure itself is totally non-invasive.
We use one of the most advanced digital mole mapping software and optics available in the world. It breaks down the body into sections which overlap to some degree to make sure that the entire skin surface is covered and the risk of misdiagnosis is kept to a minimum.
- Your doctor/Nurse will ask you to undress to your underwear.
- Then the process of taking photographs of every section of the body begins. As the photos are taken, it may be necessary for the operator to stop and check them periodically to make sure the accuracy, focus and the position are all correct.
- Starting with your head and working systematically from top to bottom, front and back, left and right, the doctor or a nurse will take a series of photos of your whole body, one section at a time.
- If you have many spots on your back or breasts, you may prefer to remove your bra. Likewise, if there are many spots on your buttocks, you can briefly drop your underwear so they can be photographed.
- Our system can record where on your body your moles are located.
- At future mole mapping visits, the same series of photographs will be repeated
- Your doctor will compare your photos to see if there are any changes since last time you were photographed. To assist this process, The computer uses a digital analytics system which automatically identifies new and changing spots and highlights them so you will know as soon as possible if there are any changes of concern.
- Your doctor will closely examine any identified new or changing spots to check for any evidence of skin cancer.
Benefits of mole mapping
Research studies have shown that mole mapping is associated with early melanoma detection in people at high risk of melanoma. The Cancer Council Australia recommends that mole mapping be considered as a method of recording a baseline and checking for changes in such people.1
Should I consider mole mapping?
If any of the following questions apply to you, you should consider mole mapping :
- Do you have multiple moles (more than 50)?
- Is there a history of skin cancer in your family?
- Have you already had a melanoma?
- Do you have large moles (more than 6 mm in diameter)?
- Have you noticed any changes in your moles?
- Have you noticed any new moles on your body?
- Did you have severe, blistering sunburns during childhood or adolescence or used solariums?
- Do you have very light skin?
If your skin has few moles, you might be able to identify suspicious changes without undergoing mole mapping.
If you are unsure about the mole mapping, it’s often best to discuss the benefits with the doctor during the skin check appointment to decide how useful it will be for you.
How much does mole mapping cost?
See our mole mapping pricing page for details of the total body mapping, skin checks and procedure costs.
Some private health policies cover the cost of mole mapping. Eligibility varies between insurers and policies. We recommend that you check with your insurer for further information. There is no Medicare rebate for total body mapping photography.