Do Not Rely on Mole Diagnosis Apps

At my clinic, we appreciate that taking time out for mole checks can seem like an unnecessary hassle. Many patients have lumps or bumps that they’re not sure of and welcome an expert opinion. We offer a service whereby patients can email a photo of their skin blemish for our doctors to provide some advice. Sometimes we can clearly see whether the lesion is a mole, skin tag, wart or cyst, other times we might need some further information. This opens up an important dialogue with patients, enabling them to have an understanding of what’s likely to be involved.

If we have any concerns about the mole, we will advise them to seek medical attention immediately. However, the vast majority of skin blemishes do turn out to be harmless and can then be removed if required for cosmetic reasons.

Having a skilled doctor or surgeon view a photo of a mole is arguably better than an automated app, although we would still advise that this is no replacement for a full face-to-face consultation in person.

It is important to trust your instinct and our advice is always ‘if in doubt, check it out’. Any mole causing concern should be seen by a professional as soon as possible. If your doctor has any concerns, they will refer patients very quickly to a specialist for proper assessment and removal if necessary.

Choose a doctor who is trained in mole removal and can offer a choice of popular laser mole removal with minimal scarring - shave excision with no stitches required or mole removal surgery by ellipse excision for the largest lesions. Any moles that are deemed to be suspicious can be removed quickly – usually at the same appointment – and full testing should be included to rule out any issues for full peace of mind. As well as standard skin lesion consultations, my clinic also offers a full body mole check service, carried out by trained and experienced private mole removal doctors.