We’re delighted to announce that we have become the first provider in Yorkshire to be able to offer full body computer-assisted Mole Mapping, for the early detection of potentially malignant moles and skin lesions.

As a population we are more aware of skin cancer risks than ever before. Many of us know how to take precautions against Sun exposure, and some even know how to identify an unusual mole on our skin. But we are not good at tracking changes in our skin over time. People with numerous moles often don’t notice new moles appearing, or an existing mole changing in shape, size or colour.

This is because when you look at the moles on your skin, you rely on your memory of how they appeared previously. Memory is not always reliable and sometimes the changes that would alert a Dermatologist to something of concern can be very small.

The previous solution for this was for a Dermatologist or Surgeon to examine a patient’s skin manually using a Dermatoscope. This is called a Mole Check.

The Dermatoscope allows the Doctor to view a mole under magnification and to measure its size. This is noted in a patient’s records to compare with at the next Mole Check appointment. If the Doctor notices other signs that the mole may require further investigation, this is discussed with the patient at the Mole Check appointment.

This service works well for assessing a small number of moles. But it can become time-consuming and expensive when a patient has numerous moles. It is also possible for a patient to not have noticed a new mole, and so they might not automatically bring it to the Doctor’s attention.

Introducing Mole Mapping

At Skin Surgery Clinic we are now the first clinic in Yorkshire to have the solution to this challenge – a state-of-the-art Mole Mapping system.

This is a digital imaging system which takes high quality images of the whole body. The system takes a series of photographs of your skin. It quickly identifies the moles and lesions present, recording key details about them. Moles that require closer inspection are examined under an attached digital dermatoscope at 150x magnification. The system stores these close-up photos in your file.

All the images are then reviewed by a Consultant Dermatologist or a specialist Consultant Plastic Surgeon. The Doctor or Surgeon will recommend any next steps that may be required – possibly surgical removal and/or biopsy and histology. In most cases, though, the images are securely stored to use as comparisons in future Mole Mapping appointments.

At a follow-up appointment, you will be screened again, giving us the opportunity to quickly and accurately compare all of your moles to your previous appointment. Changes in shape, size or colour are key indicators of possible possible skin cancer. So by comparing these images over time, you can have peace of mind that possible risks are identified early.

Exclusive to us in Yorkshire

Mole Mapping technology is very specialised and so was previously only available in a handful of private clinics in the UK and even fewer NHS institutions. Our Horus HS 1000 Mole Mapping system is the first of its kind in the whole of Yorkshire. Our entire medical team of Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses, HCA and support staff was represented at our pre-launch training day with the experts from Italian manufacturer Horus earlier this month.

Our Consultant-led skin clinic has been providing Dermatology and Minor Surgery for over a decade. Patients who wish to get the benefits of regular mole mapping no longer need to travel out of the region or visit a clinic they’re not familiar with.