Skin Checks, Mole Mapping, Dermatoscopy & Lesion Photography

Also known as skin cancer screening or triage, uses a combination of clinical viewing, dermatoscopy, palpation & a comprehensive medical history to form the basis of your assessment. Ultimately, viewing your skin at every appointment with fresh eyes & my dermatoscope is the best way to do this.

The partnership that assists in this analysis requires you to actively look at your own skin in between your annual visits with me. This provides the best chance of early detection & management with any new or changing lesions.

Images can be utilised to assist in, but not replace the confirmation of, benignancy or malignancy & photographic release & consent will be discussed at the time of your appointment if needed.

What is Dermatoscopy?

Dermatoscopy or Dermoscopy is the process of analysing the skin and in particular, the lesions of the skin, with a dermatoscope. A dermatoscope is a hand-held device that combines magnification and illumination to enable a detailed view of the intricate patterns associated with benign and malignant lesions and also the vasculature of inflammatory skin conditions.

All skin checks and Skin Health Assessments are performed with dermatoscopy to give us the best analysis of your overall skin health, sun exposure status, and primary analysis of skin conditions. This is particularly beneficial when determining treatment strategies for restorative therapies and also for the recommendation of corrective skincare and sun protection moving forward.

What is Mole Mapping and Lesion Photography?

Mole Mapping and Lesion Photography is the process of digitally imaging any lesion or skin condition, with specialised technology for the purpose of “mapping” or plotting them across the total surface area of the skin. This can be for the purpose of determining slow change or progression within certain lesions or it maybe to  establish the baseline morphology of all the lesions across your body. Artificial intelligence and dermatoscopy is used in the mole mapping software used in the early detection and monitoring of the skin. Early detection of change is key to a positive prognosis and survival of melanoma and skin cancers.

Dermatoscopists can monitor & refer complex cases, high risk of skin cancer or melanoma, & multiple moles on the skin. The benefits of this service are numerous & monitoring with innovative, medical technology, will give you peace of mind. The assurance of knowing your skin is being cared for in this way underpins The Dermal Health Alliance’s mantra of early detection & prevention.

Who should have Mole Mapping?

You should undertake mole mapping or total body photography if:

• You have multiple naevi (moles) across your body.

• You have a history of melanoma.

• Your GP/practitioner has recommended sequential monitoring or a mole mapping service. 

• You want peace of mind and the knowledge that a professional is checking all your lesions, especially if they are in hard-to-see areas.

• You have a chronic skin condition that is undergoing therapeutic intervention and progression images may be requested.

What are the benefits of Lesion Photography?

Lesion Photography is gaining the recognition and the trust of skin cancer physicians and dermatoscopists worldwide. It does not remove the clinician from the process of early detection but assists in confirmation and primary diagnosis from the skills and knowledge of the practitioner.

All photographed images create a benchmark for further monitoring and detecting any signs of change or new lesions that were not present at the initial mole mapping session. This is vital for the early detection of any malignancy, especially melanoma.

The Dermal Health Alliance/SkinRehab™ specialises in the early detection, & the confirmation of lesions & inflammatory skin conditions based on dermatoscopic pattern analysis. The algorithms used in dermatoscopic assessments are always being updated as the research and evidence into skin cancer and dermatological skin conditions continue. The “Chaos and Clues” algorithm is used when analysing pigmented lesions (Kittler, 2008), and “Prediction without Pigment” is used for the analysis of non-pigmented lesions and skin conditions (Rosendahl et al., 2014).

When you schedule a skin check with The Dermal Health Alliance/SkinRehab™ you receive a full-body dermatoscopy assessment & photography of specific lesions to review more closely & to scrutinise specific features not visible to the naked eye.

Screening Services

All skin checks include digital imaging when needed. A report can be generated from this & sent through with a referral to your preferred practitioner if suspicious lesions are noted.

Skin Check: $105 (30 mins)

Full-body skin check/assessment plus a total body skin health review with recommendations for skincare, preventative strategies &/or dermal therapy treatment programming. This is an ideal service to have prior to advanced treatments such as IPL or laser & a diagnostic report is created for your skin health practitioner based on the treatment modality selected. A skin check is usually requested before laser & IPL as best practice prior to patch testing and determining treatment suitability. Includes digital dermatoscopic images of individual lesions if required for monitoring or referring on with a medical report.

Are you considering an advanced treatment like chemical peeling, laser, or intense pulsed light (IPL)? It is extremely important to have a thorough skin check prior to your appointment to:

• be aware of any underlying malignancies that may be present

• to determine suitability for/or the correct treatment protocol

• for a more accurate assessment of the skin condition or the skin concerns in the treatment area

• for a skin health preventative measure for early detection of skin cancer

Sequential Monitoring & re-imaging of lesions. Report generated for GP: $105 (15 mins)

Total Body Photography & Mole mapping, including report. $275 (60 mins)

Head to toe skin check with dermatoscopy. Total body photography with DermEngine AI software. Monitoring long-term over time.

Referral of all suspicious lesions to a doctor specialising in skin cancer medicine.