You should have your moles screened...
- if there is a history of melanoma in the family
- if you have congenital, large (more than 20 cm in diameter), dark-brown, hairy (Tierfell) moles
- if you have numerous, small moles since birth, especially if you had been treated with ultraviolet treatment due to jaundice
- if you have many (more than 50) moles
- if you have noticed a change in one or more moles
- if a mole is regularly irritated (sports, clothing)
- if one or more moles is sensitive
- if you have any hidden moles (genitalia, navel, auditory canal, scalp)
- if you would like to place this concern in the hands of a professional
What happens during the screening?
- Dermatoscopic examination following a visual survey of the entire body
- Identification of moles which require monitoring and creation of macroscopic and dermatoscopic photographs
- Computer-aided processing, archiving
- Action plan: immediate excision; postponed excision; determination of a monitoring schedule; home action plan
New photographs will be compared to archived photographs during subsequent monitoring visits, on the basis of which further actions can be determined.
When should mole screening take place?
- The characteristics of a mole can be best determined in the winter, on light skin
- A good base series of photographs can be taken in the spring, before tanning
- Possible changes or damage can be assessed by comparing photographs in the fall, after sunbathing.
When making your appointment, please indicate the approximate number of moles to the receptionist!
