At Derma Reading, we are using the latest technology from Fotofinder for Automated Total Body Mapping, the ATBM Master. This offers the earliest possible diagnostics of melanoma using “Total Body Dermoscopy” – fully automated and in brilliant quality. This is a revolution in the earliest detection of skin cancer, and Derma Reading has one of less than 10 machines currently in use in the UK.
Furthermore, at every mole mapping appointment, your skin will be reviewed by a dermatologist, who will then write a report with images showing your moles and identifying any moles of concern with recommendations.
Derma Reading is the only clinic offering such a complete and high-quality mole-mapping service within a 30-mile radius.
What are the Benefits of Mole Mapping?
According to NHS data, around 175,000 new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year. Many of these can be avoided if changes in the skin are caught and removed early in their development. This is why people who have a history of skin cancers, or those who are at higher risk of developing them, need to check their skin for suspicious growths, which can often (but not always) occur in moles. By monitoring changes, it is more likely to be able to catch and treat any issue at an earlier stage, increasing the chance of cure. Early removal of lesions also reduces the risk of scarring.
Skin cancers can arise from freckles or other marks on the skin – even if they appear to be ‘harmless,’ and so self-checking may not be adequate in diagnosing a suspicious growth that appears similar to normal skin.
The images taken in mole mapping are much different than the average high-resolution photo, and provide highly accurate, extremely detailed photographs, which allow the dermatologist to zoom in up to 140x to see a magnified view of any mole, mark, or suspicious growth on the body.
Mole Mapping
Knowing that their dermatologist can closely monitor suspicious growths and evaluate any changes more efficiently is reassuring for many patients. Derma Reading is the only clinic offering such a complete and high-quality mole-mapping service within a 30-mile radius.
Dermatologists are highly skilled at scanning a body for suspicious moles, and can often pick up lesions early. However, they are unable to pick up subtle changes in a person’s skin over a period of time. This is where mole-mapping excels, picking up even the smallest changes in moles and bringing these to the dermatologist’s attention.
Additionally, since the body’s surface is vast, generating a mole map is much more efficient than having the dermatologist manually scan the whole body. With mole mapping, patients’ skin can be just as thoroughly assessed, and patients only need further examination in the event that a particular mark requires the dermatologist to more closely inspect the skin.
Derma will safely and confidentially store a digital mole map along with other personal information, and it can later be referenced and analysed against subsequent maps (usually taken yearly) allowing the dermatologist to see if anything has changed.
Prices for Mole Mapping
| Initial mole mapping appointment | £375 | |
| Subsequent mappings | £375 |
Instead of mole mapping, you can have an initial consultation with a Consultant Dermatologist to check over your moles and discuss treatment options at a cost of £330. If you then want a mole mapping following your consultation, this is offered at a reduced price of £270.
Who is Mole Mapping Suitable For?
Other factors could include:
- Historic overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, either from the sun, or from harmful artificial tanning practices, such as sunbeds or sunlamps
- Diagnosis of pre-cancerous lesions, such as actinic keratoses or Bowen’s disease
- Existing skin damage, for example, burns, persistent wounds, viral warts or old scars
- Fair or pale skin that burns easily
- Working outdoors
- Immunosuppression due to diseases that affect the immune system, such as HIV or leukemia
- Taking immunosuppressive medication
If you have a single mole you are concerned about, you should see your GP or a dermatologist. However, if you have a lot of moles, and are concerned that you might miss changes in these over time, then mole mapping is the best tool available for monitoring your skin.
What is the Process of Mole Mapping at Derma?
Your appointment for mole mapping will begin with a consultation with a dermatology specialist nurse, who will also conduct the process of mole mapping.
You will need to remove your clothing, but unless the skin under your undergarments is relevant to the sites of your moles, you should be able to keep those on. You can have a family member attend the appointment with you, or there will be a chaperone available should you want one.
Our specialist dermatology nurse will ask you to stand in a specific position while an automatic lift moves a camera to settings determined by your height and body shape. The camera snaps four photos of each side of your body in quick sequence.
The photos are digitally stitched together, generating a comprehensive view of your whole body and showing detailed pictures of each mole. If there are any moles that you or the nurse are particularly concerned about these can be captured in even more detail using the video dermatoscope.
After your appointment a dermatologist will review the images and produce a report, which will usually be sent to you within two days.
This report will either:
- Confirm that you have no moles of concern; or
- Identify moles of concern (with images), and recommend further review and treatment.
This report can be sent to your GP either for a referral on the NHS or a private referral for treatment at Derma.
If the dermatologist is concerned about any mole and needs a more detailed image to make a diagnosis, this follow-up scan will be conducted free of charge.
The report will also recommend if and when you should come back for another mole mapping, which may be in three to six months, or conducted once a year. Subsequent mole mappings are even more useful as they highlight any new or changed moles, which is essential in the early detection of skin cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get mole mapping on the NHS?
What is a mole map?
How often should you get your moles checked?
When should you get your moles checked by a dermatologist?
What does mole mapping do?
How accurate is mole mapping?
Is mole mapping covered by insurance?
What do scars look like after mole removal?
Can a dermatologist tell if a mole is cancerous just by looking at it?
How can you tell if the mole is cancerous?
How long does mole mapping take?
What should I do if my mole is itchy or bleeding?
If a mole has changed or is causing symptoms then it is best to have it reviewed by a specialist.
When will I know the results of my mole map?
Is it possible to have only one mole checked?
What happens when a mole is identified as abnormal during the screening?
The consultant will usually discuss this with you if it is identified when they are reviewing you, but if it is picked up after the appointment when the images are analysed then you will be notified by either a telephone call or a letter from the consultant.
Related Specialists at Derma
Dr Antonia Lloyd-Lavery
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Antonia Lloyd-Lavery is a UK trained Consultant Dermatologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Oxford since 2017. She is fully trained and on the GMC specialist register. She qualified from Oxford University in 2008.
Dr Charles Archer
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Charles Archer is a registered specialist with the GMC and his NHS Consultant post is split between The Royal Berkshire Hospitals and Oxford University Hospitals.
Dr Sanju Arianayagam
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Sanju Arianayagam is a Consultant Dermatologist and gained her dermatology experience at Cambridge University Hospitals, Oxford University Hospitals and the Royal Berkshire Hospital.
Dr Rima Clayton
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Rima Clayton is a UK trained Consultant Dermatologist who practises in Reading and Oxford. She is fully trained in both paediatric and adult dermatology.
Dr Sabrina Khan
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Khan consults on all general dermatology conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
Dr Rachel Fisher
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Fisher consults on all general dermatology conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and acne.
Dr Inge Kreuser-Genis
Consultant Dermatologist
Dr Kreuser-Genis is a UK trained Consultant Dermatologist who practices in Reading and Oxford. She is fully trained in both paediatric and adult dermatology.
Professor Rubeta Matin
Consultant Dermatologist
Professor Rubeta Matin is a UK trained consultant dermatologist and honorary senior lecturer in Oxford since 2015. She is fully trained and on the GMC specialist register.