Mole Mapping Melbourne Patients Can Trust
Mole Mapping Melbourne Patients Can Trust
Mole mapping provides a structured way to document your skin and monitor selected moles over time. It can be particularly useful for people with numerous moles, atypical lesions or an increased risk of melanoma.
At The Mole Clinic, mole mapping combines a full body skin check with digital imaging using DermEngine technology. Your skin is assessed by a doctor, images are captured for future comparison, and individual lesions can be monitored where clinically appropriate.
With clinics in Sunshine and Frankston, The Mole Clinic provides doctor-led mole mapping for patients across Melbourne without requiring a referral.
What is mole mapping?
Mole mapping involves creating a digital record of your skin that can be used for comparison at future appointments.
At The Mole Clinic, this is performed alongside a full body skin cancer check rather than simply taking photographs of your skin.
Depending on your individual circumstances, imaging can include broader photographs of the skin together with detailed images of selected lesions.
The purpose is to provide a reference point. At future reviews, your doctor can compare relevant images and assess whether lesions have remained stable or developed changes that require further investigation.
You can learn more about our Mole Mapping Melbourne service.
Who may benefit from mole mapping?
Not everyone having a skin check requires mole mapping.
It may be particularly useful for selected patients who have:
Numerous moles
Multiple atypical or unusual moles
A personal history of melanoma
A family history that increases melanoma risk
Lesions that are difficult to monitor themselves
Other clinical factors that make longitudinal monitoring useful
Whether mole mapping is appropriate should be determined according to your individual skin and risk rather than being considered necessary for every patient.
If you have relatively few moles and are concerned about only one particular lesion, a Spot or Mole Check may be more appropriate.
What happens during mole mapping?
At The Mole Clinic, mole mapping includes a full body skin cancer check by a doctor.
Your appointment will usually begin with a discussion about your skin cancer history, family history, previous sun exposure and any particular lesions you have noticed.
Your doctor will then systematically examine your skin and use dermoscopy where appropriate to assess individual lesions more closely.
Digital images are captured to document your skin and relevant lesions. These images can then provide a baseline for comparison at future appointments.
If your doctor identifies a lesion that requires further investigation, monitoring may not be the appropriate next step. A biopsy or other assessment may be recommended instead.
What technology does The Mole Clinic use?
The Mole Clinic uses DermEngine technology for digital skin imaging, mole mapping and longitudinal monitoring where clinically appropriate.
DermEngine allows relevant clinical and dermoscopic images to be stored and compared over time.
This can assist your doctor in assessing whether a documented lesion has remained stable or developed changes.
The technology supports clinical assessment. It does not independently diagnose skin cancer and does not replace examination and clinical judgement by a doctor.
You can read more about how this works in our guide to digital monitoring for skin lesions.
What is the difference between a skin check and mole mapping?
A full body skin check and mole mapping are related but different services.
During a full body skin check, your doctor systematically examines your skin and assesses individual lesions using dermoscopy where appropriate.
Mole mapping adds digital imaging so your skin and selected lesions can be documented for future comparison.
This can be useful when the ability to assess change over time is clinically valuable.
Not every patient requires this additional monitoring. Your doctor can advise whether a standard skin check or mole mapping is more appropriate for you.
Can mole mapping detect melanoma?
Mole mapping does not diagnose melanoma on its own.
It provides additional information that can assist your doctor in assessing your skin and identifying changes over time.
If a lesion has clinical or dermoscopic features that warrant tissue diagnosis, it should not simply be monitored because digital images are available.
Your doctor may instead recommend a skin biopsy, with the tissue sent for histopathology to help establish a diagnosis.
Is mole mapping better than taking photos at home?
Being familiar with your own skin is useful, and personal photographs can sometimes help demonstrate that a lesion has changed.
However, photographs taken on a phone are not the same as structured clinical and dermoscopic imaging.
Lighting, distance, angle and image quality can vary considerably between personal photographs, which can make accurate comparison more difficult.
Mole mapping provides a more structured record that can be reviewed alongside your clinical examination.
What happens if a mole changes?
A change does not automatically mean that a mole is cancerous.
If a documented lesion changes, your doctor will reassess it and determine whether further investigation is required.
Depending on the lesion and the nature of the change, the next step may include:
Further clinical and dermoscopic assessment
Additional imaging
Continued monitoring
A skin biopsy
Removal or another form of treatment
The appropriate approach depends on the lesion itself and your individual circumstances.
Should you wait for your next mole mapping appointment if a spot changes?
No.
If you notice a new or changing lesion between scheduled appointments, arrange an earlier assessment rather than waiting for your next planned mole mapping review.
This includes 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
Mole mapping is designed to support monitoring, not to delay assessment of a lesion that has become concerning.
How often should mole mapping be repeated?
There is no single mole mapping interval that is appropriate for every patient.
Your doctor will recommend follow-up according to your individual risk, previous history, number and type of moles and any lesions that require monitoring.
Some patients require more structured surveillance than others.
The important point is to follow the interval recommended for your individual circumstances and arrange an earlier review if you notice a concerning change between appointments.
How much does mole mapping cost at The Mole Clinic?
The current fee for Mole Mapping & Full Body Skin Cancer Check is $312.10.
Eligible Medicare card holders currently receive a Medicare rebate of $87.10, leaving an out-of-pocket cost of $225.
A $20 concession discount is also available for patients with a valid healthcare card or pension card and for children under 16.
Fees and Medicare rebates can change, so please check our current Services & Fees before booking.
Where can you get mole mapping in Melbourne?
The Mole Clinic provides mole mapping at our clinics in Sunshine and Frankston.
Our Sunshine clinic provides convenient access for patients from Melbourne's western suburbs, while our Frankston clinic serves Frankston, Frankston South, Mount Eliza, Langwarrin and surrounding Mornington Peninsula and south eastern Melbourne communities.
You can view both The Mole Clinic locations and book the clinic that is most convenient for you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a referral for mole mapping?
No. You can book directly with The Mole Clinic without a referral.
Does everyone need mole mapping?
No. Mole mapping can be useful for selected patients, particularly those with numerous or atypical moles or increased melanoma risk. A standard full body skin check may be more appropriate for other patients.
Is a doctor involved in the mole mapping appointment?
Yes. At The Mole Clinic, mole mapping is combined with a full body skin cancer check by a doctor.
What technology does The Mole Clinic use?
The Mole Clinic uses DermEngine technology for digital imaging and longitudinal monitoring where clinically appropriate.
Does mole mapping mean suspicious lesions can simply be watched?
No. Some lesions are appropriate for monitoring, while others require biopsy or another form of investigation. Your doctor will recommend the appropriate approach based on the clinical findings.
Can I book mole mapping in Frankston or Sunshine?
Yes. Mole mapping is available through The Mole Clinic in both Frankston and Sunshine.
Book Mole Mapping in Melbourne
The Mole Clinic provides doctor-led mole mapping and full body skin cancer checks at our Sunshine and Frankston clinics.
If you have numerous moles, atypical lesions or would like to discuss whether digital monitoring may be appropriate for you, you can book directly without a referral.