WWhen the Sk:n chain of clinics suddenly collapsed last month, my first concern was the excellent and affordable mole-checking service. I’ve written about it here before and three readers told me that those columns directly resulted in the detection and diagnosis of treatable skin cancers. With GP appointments and dermatology referrals so hard to come by, the closure of Sk:n is a blow. The search for alternatives led me to the infinitely more advanced mole-mapping service at OneWelbeck Clinic in London.
My standard appointment began with dermatologist Hiva Fassihi, who took my history and inspected my moles, freckles and age spots. I then removed my disposable underwear and was led into a vast AI chamber, where a camera scanned every millimeter of skin until every mark, mole, scar or lesion on my body had been identified, magnified and mapped, from most worrisome to least worrisome. This took about a minute and by the time I was dressed again, we had a detailed 3D avatar and map of the surface of my body. In a year’s time, another scan will be able to detect the slightest change in the moles.
The machine never comes without a human dermatologist, whose expertise and clinical experience are indispensable in interpreting its findings (my most problematic mole, as identified by the machine, is unlikely to cause any real problems), but the machine’s ability to measure, log, map and document the progress of a tiny freckle is one of the many reasons why every doctor I know believes the NHS should embrace AI. For now, mole mapping is a private healthcare service. The technology only exists in Australia and here, where a full appointment and scan costs around £495. And as reassuring and exciting as it was, I didn’t need it.
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I have a few moles and I keep a close eye on them. They look the same; I’ve always lived in a cool climate and have no family history of skin cancer. But for those at higher risk, mole mapping is potentially life-saving. For the rest of us, my advice remains the same: Check your moles every six months. Put a Post-It note on their location before taking pictures so you can compare them next time. Any changes in size, shape, symmetry, texture, or color warrant a closer look by a doctor. And please, cover all exposed skin with clothing or a high-protection sunscreen. You need a lot more than you think.