Melanoma

We charge approximately 40% of the fee we normally charge for a skin biopsy procedure. No Medicare rebate is payable.

Studies have shown that the Dermasensor is as accurate as a dermatologist in detecting skin cancers, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. When combined with a doctor performing a dermoscopic examination and taking a medical history of the skin lesion, skin cancer detection improves by 20%.

Removing moles does not usually prevent melanoma. Some moles can develop into melanoma, but this is unusual for normal moles and even the most odd-looking moles. The best medical intervention for reducing the risk of melanoma in people with many moles is regular full-body skin checks by an accredited skin cancer doctor, possibly with regular mole mapping photography of the whole body to check for suspicious changes in the skin.

Laser hair removal can affect moles. It doesn't make moles develop into skin cancer, but it can cause visual changes to the mole which can make it look like a skin cancer.

Mole mapping adds to the cost of a skin cancer check and people often feel uncomfortable being photographed while they are nearly naked, so it's understandable to ask if molemapping is worth the expense and trouble. The answer isn't always straightforward; for some people, regular mole mapping is highly recommended, and for others, it doesn't have significant clinical benefits.

Dark patches on the skin can be caused by various factors, including age, sun damage, and hormonal changes. These patches are commonly known as liver spots or sun spots, and they can make the skin appear dull and uneven. Fortunately, there are several ways to reduce the appearance of these dark spots, including BBL (BroadBand Light) and laser treatment.

Both sun spots and skin cancer can be caused by prolonged sun exposure, and both may appear as flat brown patches on the face, hands, chest and other areas of sun-exposed skin. Skin cancer can grow and sometimes spread to other parts of the body causing serious illness or death, while sun spots are harmless and primarily a cosmetic concern.

Dysplastic moles were long thought to be precursors to melanoma. But in most cases, they are harmless and never cause any health issues.

If you have a very high risk of melanoma and more than 100 moles, you should consider having mole mapping every year. There is evidence that mole mapping can allow earlier detection of melanoma in high-risk patients and therefore improve the chances of successful treatment.