Digital Monitoring for Skin Lesions Explained
Digital Monitoring for Skin Lesions Explained
Some skin lesions can be assessed confidently at a single appointment. Others may benefit from being photographed and compared over time.
Digital monitoring for skin lesions allows doctors to document selected moles and other lesions using clinical and dermoscopic images. These images can then be reviewed at future appointments to assess whether a lesion has remained stable or developed changes that require further investigation.
At The Mole Clinic, DermEngine technology is used for digital imaging and longitudinal monitoring where clinically appropriate.
What is digital monitoring for skin lesions?
Digital monitoring involves capturing images of selected skin lesions so they can be documented and compared over time.
Depending on the patient and the lesion, this may involve clinical photography, dermoscopic images or broader mole mapping.
A dermoscopic image provides a magnified view of structures within a lesion that cannot be assessed as clearly with the naked eye alone.
At a future review, the current appearance can be compared with the previous image. Your doctor can then assess whether there have been changes in features such as size, shape, colour or dermoscopic structure.
Why is monitoring change over time useful?
Change can be an important feature when assessing skin lesions.
Some benign moles naturally look unusual, while some skin cancers can initially have relatively subtle features. Comparing standardised images over time can provide additional information when deciding whether a lesion has remained stable or requires further investigation.
Digital monitoring can therefore be useful for selected lesions where immediate biopsy is not considered necessary but where your doctor would like to document and reassess the lesion.
It is not appropriate to monitor every suspicious lesion. If the clinical or dermoscopic features indicate that a biopsy is required, your doctor may recommend investigation rather than observation.
Who may benefit from digital monitoring?
Digital monitoring may be particularly useful for selected patients who have:
Numerous moles
Multiple atypical or unusual moles
Lesions that are difficult to monitor themselves
A personal history of melanoma
A family history that increases melanoma risk
Other factors associated with increased melanoma risk
It can also be useful when a particular lesion has features that your doctor believes are appropriate to document and reassess over time.
Whether monitoring is suitable should be determined clinically rather than simply by the number of moles you have.
What is the difference between digital lesion monitoring and mole mapping?
The terms are related, but they do not always mean exactly the same thing.
Digital lesion monitoring can refer to photographing and following an individual lesion or selected lesions over time.
Mole mapping is a broader approach that can include images of different areas of the body together with detailed images of selected moles. This provides a record that can be used for future comparison.
At The Mole Clinic, DermEngine technology is used for digital imaging and longitudinal monitoring where clinically appropriate.
You can learn more about the broader service on our Mole Mapping Melbourne page.
What is DermEngine?
DermEngine is a digital imaging platform used by The Mole Clinic to assist with documenting and monitoring skin lesions.
It allows relevant clinical and dermoscopic images to be stored so that they can be reviewed and compared at future appointments.
The technology supports the doctor's clinical assessment. It does not independently diagnose skin cancer and does not replace examination by a doctor.
Changes identified through digital comparison still need to be interpreted in the context of the lesion itself, your skin and your individual risk factors.
Does digital monitoring replace a full body skin check?
No.
Digital monitoring is a tool that can support clinical assessment. It does not replace examination of your skin by a doctor.
A full body skin check allows your doctor to assess your skin more broadly, including lesions that may not previously have been photographed.
This is important because monitoring existing moles alone would not necessarily identify a new lesion that has developed elsewhere on the skin.
Your doctor may therefore use clinical examination, dermoscopy and digital imaging together where appropriate.
Is taking photos of your moles at home useful?
Being familiar with your skin can help you notice when something has changed.
Personal photographs can sometimes be useful, particularly if they clearly show that a lesion has changed over time. However, they are not the same as structured clinical or dermoscopic imaging.
Differences in lighting, distance, angle and image quality can make photographs difficult to compare accurately.
If you have a photograph showing how a concerning lesion previously looked, it can still be worth showing your doctor.
What happens at a digital monitoring appointment?
Your doctor will first assess your skin and determine whether digital monitoring is appropriate.
Relevant lesions can then be photographed and documented.
At a future appointment, these images can be compared with the lesion's current appearance. Depending on the findings, your doctor may recommend:
No further action
Continued monitoring
Review after an appropriate interval
Further assessment
A skin biopsy
The appropriate follow-up interval depends on the lesion and your individual circumstances. There is no single monitoring schedule that applies to every patient or every mole.
When should a lesion be biopsied instead of monitored?
Not every lesion is suitable for monitoring.
If a lesion has clinical or dermoscopic features that warrant tissue diagnosis, your doctor may recommend biopsy rather than waiting to see whether it changes.
The decision depends on factors including the appearance of the lesion, its history, any recent changes and your individual skin cancer risk.
If tissue diagnosis is required, a skin biopsy may be performed. The sample is then sent for histopathology to help establish a diagnosis.
Digital monitoring should therefore be viewed as one option within skin cancer assessment rather than an alternative to biopsy when biopsy is clinically indicated.
What if a monitored lesion changes?
A change does not automatically mean that a lesion is cancerous.
However, if a lesion develops concerning changes, your doctor will reassess it and determine whether further investigation is required.
Depending on the nature of the change, this may involve closer examination, additional imaging, biopsy or removal.
This is one of the main reasons appropriate follow-up is important. Images are most useful when they are combined with clinical review at the interval recommended by your doctor.
Should you wait for your next monitoring appointment if a mole changes?
No.
If you notice a new or changing lesion between planned appointments, you do not need to wait until your next scheduled review.
Arrange an earlier assessment if you notice a lesion that:
Changes in size, shape or colour
Looks noticeably different from your other spots
Repeatedly bleeds or crusts
Becomes persistently itchy, tender or painful
Develops into a sore that does not heal
Otherwise changes in a way that concerns you
If you are primarily concerned about an individual lesion, a Spot or Mole Check may be appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
Can digital monitoring diagnose melanoma?
No. Digital monitoring does not diagnose melanoma on its own. It provides images that can help your doctor assess changes over time. A suspicious lesion may require biopsy and histopathology to establish a diagnosis.
Does every mole need to be photographed?
No. Your doctor can determine which lesions, if any, are appropriate for digital monitoring.
Is digital monitoring the same as mole mapping?
They overlap, but digital monitoring may involve following selected individual lesions, while mole mapping provides broader documentation of the skin and selected moles.
How often are monitored lesions photographed?
There is no single interval appropriate for every lesion. Your doctor will recommend follow-up based on the lesion's features and your individual circumstances.
Should I wait for my next appointment if a monitored mole changes?
No. If you notice a significant change or develop concerns about a lesion, arrange an earlier assessment.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly with The Mole Clinic without a referral.
Digital Skin Monitoring at The Mole Clinic
The Mole Clinic provides doctor-led skin checks, mole mapping and digital lesion monitoring at our Sunshine and Frankston clinics.
DermEngine technology is used for digital imaging and longitudinal monitoring where clinically appropriate, alongside clinical examination and dermoscopy by our doctors.
If you have a new or changing lesion, numerous moles or would like to discuss whether digital monitoring may be appropriate for you, you can book directly without a referral.