Your skin tells a story, and that story evolves over time. Freckles, birthmarks, and moles are all natural markers of that journey. While most moles are harmless, they are the most common sites where melanoma can develop. Regular self-exams can help spot changes, but advancements in technology have made early skin cancer detection more accurate than ever.
Mole mapping is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses high-resolution photography to track skin changes over time, making it easier to identify potential issues early. By creating a detailed visual record, mole mapping helps detect subtle differences that might go unnoticed otherwise. Whether you’re focused on prevention or early detection, mole mapping offers a proactive approach to maintaining skin health.
At Dr. Ben Wiese’s private skin cancer clinic in Kelowna, we offer the only full-body mole mapping service in British Columbia, using cutting-edge imaging technology. No referral is needed, making early detection more accessible than ever.
In this blog, we’ll dive into what mole mapping is, how it works, its benefits, and answer common questions about the process.
Why is Mole Mapping Important?
Early detection is crucial in the fight against skin cancer, and regular monitoring of your skin plays a key role in identifying potential issues. Skin Self-Examinations (SSEs) are an essential part of this process, helping you keep track of changes between professional check-ups. A helpful guide for assessing moles is the ABCDE method:
- A for Asymmetry: One half of the mole doesn’t match the other.
- B for Border: Edges are irregular, jagged, or blurred.
- C for Colour: Multiple shades or uneven colour.
- D for Diameter: Larger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser).
- E for Evolving: Any noticeable change in size, shape, colour, or elevation.
Recent studies suggest expanding this checklist to include additional criteria:
- F for Firmness: A mole-like lesion that feels harder than the surrounding skin.
- G for Growth: A mole-like lesion that is rapidly increasing in size.
While SSEs are important, they have limitations. Subtle changes in lesions that look like moles can be easily overlooked without specialized tools. This is where dermoscopy and mole mapping come in as a game-changer, setting the gold standard for skin cancer prevention.
By combining advanced imaging technology with expert analysis, mole mapping provides a comprehensive way to track skin changes over time, detecting potential concerns at the earliest stages. Unlike SSEs, which rely on visual inspection and memory, mole mapping creates a detailed, long-term record of your skin’s condition, making it easier to spot even the smallest changes.
Alongside mole mapping, technology like dermatoscopes and high-resolution imaging further enhances detection accuracy. These tools allow skin cancer physicians to identify microscopic patterns within moles that may indicate early-stage skin cancer – well before symptoms appear. This level of detail leads to earlier diagnosis and better treatment outcomes.
The Benefits of Mole Mapping
Mole mapping offers more than just tracking your moles for skin cancer detection. Here are some key benefits:
- Peace of Mind
Regular mole mapping gives you peace of mind, especially if you have a family history of skin cancer, fair skin, or other risk factors. Knowing your skin is being monitored regularly helps ensure any potential issues are detected early, giving you confidence in your skin health. - Early Detection for Better Outcomes
For skin cancers like melanoma, early detection is crucial. Catching melanoma early increases treatability and significantly improves the chances of successful outcomes. Mole mapping allows for timely detection of concerning changes, potentially saving lives. - Subtle Changes Easily Identified
Mole mapping creates a detailed record of your skin over time, allowing practitioners to spot subtle changes between sessions. This helps identify any potential issues early, increasing the chance of successful treatment before it advances. - Non-Invasive, Simple Process
Mole mapping is a painless, non-invasive procedure. It takes about 40 to 50 minutes for a full-body scan and does not involve biopsies unless something suspicious is found. This makes it a safe and easy way to track your skin health. - Better Preventative Care
By detecting potentially cancerous moles early, mole mapping allows for timely removal and reduces the need for more aggressive treatments. Early detection often results in less invasive procedures and a better long-term prognosis. - Personalized Skin Cancer Risk Assessment
Mole mapping helps create a personalized risk profile based on your family history, skin type, and mole patterns. This personalized approach allows for more tailored care, ensuring more frequent checkups and early intervention when needed. - Documenting Historical Changes
With repeated mole mapping sessions, you have a clear timeline of any changes to your moles. This historical record helps detect gradual changes over time, which is crucial for diagnosing skin cancer before it becomes advanced. - Monitoring New or Suspicious Moles
Mole mapping tracks the development of new moles or spots, which can sometimes indicate skin cancer. This is especially important for individuals with many moles, as it can be hard to monitor all of them for changes. - Increased Accuracy for Early Detection
High-resolution digital imaging used in mole mapping allows for precise monitoring of your moles. It helps detect even the most subtle changes that might be missed by the naked eye, improving the accuracy of early skin cancer detection. - Tracking Multiple Moles Over Time
For people with many moles or freckles, mole mapping offers a systematic way to monitor each one over time. This makes it easier to spot any that may be changing in ways that suggest malignancy.
The five-year survival rate for patients whose melanoma is detected early is over 99 percent.
– The Skin Cancer Foundation
How Mole Mapping Works
Mole mapping uses advanced technology to create a detailed digital record of your skin, helping doctors track changes in your moles and skin lesions over time.
Dr. Ben Wiese uses the FotoFinder Automated Total Body Mapping (ATBM) system, which captures high-resolution images of your skin, including moles, freckles, and other spots. These images are securely stored and compared in follow-up sessions to detect any changes in size, shape, colour, or texture.
The FotoFinder System
The FotoFinder ATBM system is a Health Canada-licensed skin mapping tool known for its precision and effectiveness. Here’s how it works:
- High-Resolution Imaging: A high-resolution camera captures detailed photos of your skin. These images are immediately transferred to a secure database, allowing for accurate tracking.
- Full-Body Scans: The system performs comprehensive full-body scans, covering about 90% of your skin surface, ensuring even hard-to-see areas are documented. Some areas may not be included due to physical limitations, but most skin is photographed.
FotoFinder is the first system to combine total body mapping with dermatoscopy, a technique that allows for detailed visualization of skin lesions. This combination enhances diagnostic accuracy, helping doctors catch potential issues early.
Personalized Skin Health Tracking
Regular use of the FotoFinder system allows for ongoing monitoring of skin changes. For patients at high risk for skin cancer, such as those with a history of melanoma, this technology can be life-saving. Dr. Wiese’s clinic is the only one in British Columbia offering full-body photography and dermoscopy as part of its skin cancer detection program.
Mole mapping can be done as a one-time procedure, but for people at higher risk of skin cancer, such as those with numerous moles, fair skin, or a family history of melanoma, it’s often done annually to stay on top of any changes. Take this past patient, for example, who had regular scans over the course of four years. During this fourth year scan, a new change was detected that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. This change was caught early, thanks to FotoFinder’s precise imaging and monitoring.
How Much Does Mole Mapping Cost
To continue offering full-body photography and mole mapping, Dr. Wiese de-enrolled from the BC Medical Service Plan (MSP) in November 2023. As a result, patients can now see him without a referral, but these services come with a private fee not covered by MSP.
For the cost for mole mapping, including a complete full-body examination, please reach out to Dr. Wiese’s private clinic.
Your Path to Proactive Skin Care
Dr. Wiese, a specialist general practitioner with over ten years of experience in cancer-related skin care, takes a proactive approach to monitoring skin health. Instead of waiting for patients to notice random skin lesions, he focuses on long-term skin health and cancer prevention.
Mole mapping is a powerful tool in the early detection and ongoing monitoring of skin changes. It provides a comprehensive record of your skin’s condition over time, making it easier to spot potential issues early, when they are most treatable.
Whether you’re at high risk for skin cancer or simply want peace of mind, regular mole mapping can play a crucial role in maintaining your skin health. If you’d like to learn more about mole mapping or schedule an appointment, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re considering mole mapping or have questions about the process, check out the frequently asked questions below for more details.
+ How does mole mapping work?
Mole mapping involves using high-resolution digital photography to capture detailed images of your skin, including all your moles and freckles. These images are stored in a database so changes can be tracked over time. With regular mole mapping, any new moles or changes to existing ones can be spotted, which can help with the early detection of skin cancer, particularly melanoma.
+ How much does mole mapping cost in Canada?
The cost of mole mapping in Canada varies depending on the clinic and your physicians experience with mole mapping and skin cancer. Please reach out to our office for more information.
+ How to get moles checked in BC?
In British Columbia, there are two avenues to get moles checked. You can visit your family doctor, who may give you a referral to a dermatologist. Alternatively, you can go through a private skin cancer clinic, as with Dr. Ben, who does not require a referral and provides you with direct access to advanced diagnostic imaging and mole mapping services.
+ Is it worth getting a mole map?
Yes, especially if you have a family history of skin cancer, a large number of moles, or a history of excessive sun exposure. Mole mapping is a proactive way to monitor any changes in your moles, making it easier to catch early signs of skin cancer. For peace of mind and early detection, many people find it worthwhile.
+ Is mole removal covered by insurance?
In Canada, if a lesion is deemed suspicious for skin cancer, your provincial health insurance will cover the cost. Cosmetic mole removal (for aesthetic purposes) is not covered by your provincial health insurance.
+ How often should I get a mole check?
It’s recommended that you get a full body skin examination once a year for high risk patients, e.g., those with a family history, more than 50 moles and sun damage. If you have been diagnosed with a melanoma, you need to be seen every six months for the first three years after your diagnosis.
+ When should you get mole mapping?
Mole mapping is typically recommended for people who are at higher risk of skin cancer, including those with multiple moles, a history of sunburns, fair skin, or a family history of skin cancer. It’s often done for individuals over the age of 18, but younger people with high-risk factors may also benefit.
+ How long does a full body MoleMap take?
A full-body mole mapping session typically takes about 40 to 50 minutes. The process is non-invasive, and it involves taking digital photos of your entire body. The images are then analyzed and stored for future reference to monitor any changes.
+ At what age should you get a MoleMap?
There is no set age to start mole mapping, but it is often recommended for people over 18, especially if they have many moles or a history of sunburns. If you’re at high risk for skin cancer, it may be worth considering earlier mapping. Younger people should also get a baseline mole check if they have concerns.
+ How accurate is mole mapping?
Mole mapping is highly accurate for tracking changes in your moles over time. The digital images can detect small changes that may not be noticeable to the naked eye. However, it’s important to note that mole mapping is not a definitive diagnosis. If a mole appears suspicious, further testing (like a biopsy) will be necessary to confirm whether it’s cancerous.
+ Does mole mapping hurt?
No, mole mapping is a completely painless procedure. The process involves taking digital photos of your skin, which is non-invasive and doesn’t require any needles or cutting. It may feel a little uncomfortable if you have to stand in certain positions for a few minutes, but it is generally well-tolerated.
Visit our Mole Mapping page for more information, FAQs and links to scientific studies.
