Remember the good old days when we were much younger? At the first sign of spring we would bring out our reflectors and our baby oil mixed with iodine. Every chance we got we would be out there trying to tan. Of course, between the baby oil and reflectors, most of us fried. That along with the thinning of the ozone layer has increased the risk of skin cancers for most of us.

The deadliest form of skin cancer is melanoma. The key to melanoma is to find it early. It is possible to catch it when it is just starting to form in a pre-cancerous phase. The American Cancer Society recommends that every adult over 40 have a skin exam from top to bottom. There are now some new techniques that can help your doctor follow your moles from year to year. That new technique is called “mole mapping”.

When the doctor does an exam he or she usually will eyeball your moles and then note which ones to follow over time. Mole mapping helps them to keep a record and look more closely. Mole mapping is really a general term for several techniques.

Mole Mapping

The simplest form of mole mapping is done when the doctor marks where your moles are on a drawing in the medical chart. They can note mole color, size, shape, etc. Now that we have such great computer technology, there are new forms of digital mole mapping. Programs can look at your risk factor profile (history of sun exposure, family history, age, skin type, etc.) A doctor or specially trained nurse can take high quality digital photos with a digital camera. With the photos, there can be close-ups (not exactly what they do in the movies!); they can magnify the moles as well. The images and risk factors are sent to a dermatologist who is an expert in skin cancer and a report is generated. The mapping can be repeated every 3-6 months if there are skin lesions that are concerning. Otherwise it can be done on a regular yearly basis.

This technique is really helpful in communities who do not have a dermatologist. It is probably most effective in conjunction with a dermatologist’s exam. It is also helpful to do your own exam on the parts of your skin you can see.

What is considered a suspicious lesion?

For melanoma, the things to watch for are what are called the A, B, C, D, and E.
A- Stands for asymmetry. If you could not virtually fold the mole in half and have it match up perfectly, it is asymmetrical.
B- Is for border. A mole is of concern if the border is irregular and not smooth.
C- If a mole has different colors or is dark or blue, it is of concern.
D- If the diameter is more than 6 mm or larger than the end surface of a normal pencil eraser, it is considered to be abnormal.
E- If it is expanding or enlarging over time that is also a mole of concern.

Mole mapping can be a useful procedure to help the dermatologist. It is important to have a skin exam as well as the pictures, because the photo exam can miss lesions in the scalp and the genital areas. There is nothing that can substitute for an up close and personal exam.