If you've followed me for a while you'll know that I like to speak up about the subject of moles. I first spoke about it in this video (after having a few removed and feeling a little sore) and then again recently in this video where I showed a much safer alternative to getting a tan. To be honest, talking about one of your biggest insecurities isn't fun at all but I feel a massive responsibility to do so, so here I am...
I often get asked where to go to get your moles checked and really the first thing you should do is go to your GP. They will either advise you or if it's not something they can help with they'll refer you to a dermatologist either on the NHS or private.
I've been doing mole mapping for about 10 years now which essentially is an annual check up to keep an eye on changing moles and to remove any that need removing. I recently tried out the brand new service at the Cadogan Clinic and I was incredible impressed. I visited as a brand new patient to experience the Mole Mapping service and will now be going there annually for my checks. I know it can be a daunting thing, so let me talk you through what happened...
I met with the dermatologist who was a really lovely, patient lady and we chatted briefly about my previous experience with mole mapping. She then asked me a few questions for my file and to understand more about my skin and the risks. Questions such as have I ever used sunbeds? Did I live abroad growing up? Do I smoke? What factor sun cream do I use? When in the sun do I burn before I go brown? Do I have any hobbies that involve being outdoors a lot? How many times in my life have I burnt so badly that I peeled?
I then moved over to a curtained off area to undress into my underwear. Using a dermatoscope (like a magnifying glass with a light) she examined every single mole on my body, top to bottom, simply by looking through it onto the skin. She's highly trained to examine and see if a mole needs to be removed or monitored further. It turns out I actually have something called A-Typical mole Syndrome which means I have over 100 on my body that are all irregular shapes and tones (which means they're harder to monitor myself). You can have all kinds of irregular moles that will never be dangerous, but it's important to have them checked by someone who knows, just in case.
She circled a few moles that she thought should be monitored closely and then I went into another room for the mole mapping. This involved me standing in my underwear and facing a few different directions whilst having photos taken of my body. These photos aren't to identify dangerous moles, they're to monitor any changes or new moles that appear between annual appointments. So then I was done... the whole thing took about 45 mins (but would have been less if I hadn't have chatted so much!).
I'll continue to get more moles up to the age of 40 and during pregnancy they are likely to all change and get darker. It's one of my biggest insecurities and dislikes but it's just something I have to deal with. I'm so happy I never used sun beds and that I've always been educated about sun protection and mole mapping. I'm doing the most I can possibly do to prevent any scares and I think it's important that the subject is spoken about more freely.
To find out more about the Cadogan Clinic Mole Mapping service, see here. Speak to your GP if you have any concerns.