If you are a fair skinned man, with a lot of moles and a history of sunburn, you could be a prime candidate for skin cancer.

It's a disease that is on the increase, mainly because of our love of sunbathing, and moley types are advised to check for signs of melanoma, but how?

If you have a lot of moles, how do you notice one more and what changes are we supposed to look for?

After years of worrying there is now a new check-up that claims to not only monitor every mole, but help you stay safe for the rest of your life.

Mole mapping

Mole mapping is the latest weapon in the race to detect skin cancer at an early stage when it is curable, and the most advanced method for early diagnosis. Most moles turn out to be harmless, but if they’re cancerous catching them quickly can save your life.

Freedom Health in London’s Harley Street offers the latest in mole mapping. After your initial consultation, Nurse Practitioner Lee Garrett, talks you through what would happen in a reassuring manner, over a cup of tea! One session involves taking microscopic photos of any at-risk moles (digital dermoscopy) plus an overview images of your body to localize the moles and find them again at follow-up visits, se you can compare them at a later date. Plus an examination by Lucia Pozo-Garcia, a Consultant Dermatologist and skin cancer specialist.

Lucia and Lee will usually ask about your family history, your own health and whether you have noticed any changes in my moles.

“The most common factor is family history or a pre history yourself of skin cancer,” says Lucia. “I also look out for fair skin, blue eyes and red hair. Sunburn during childhood is also an alarm bell.”

You are then taken to an examination room where you strip down to your underwear and stand in front of the dermoscope. Lee then takes pictures of your body at three different levels, from head to toe. This is repeated for your back, each side and finally even the soles of your feet - where moles may lurk!

Skin cancer

Lee shows you the pictures of the different sections of your body. The dermoscope camera not only digitally records the location of the moles but also the area, perimeter and diameter of each.

Lucia then uses a hand held camera to magnify my moles up to 70 times their actual size, to study their texture and colour. You are able to watch the monitor as the mini camera moves over your magnified moles, similar to watching a baby scan during pregnancy.

You may be surprised at how different they all are. Lucia explains she looks for moles that have spread out unevenly, are varied in colour, particularly very dark brown patches, uneven textured moles and particularly large ones.

“Usually there is nothing to be worried about,” she says. “But we like to keep an eye on things.”

All the images are stored on a digital database for follow-up visits and can be emailed to you so you can also do your own checks at home. Most patients return to the clinic a year later but if you have a problem or are worried you can make an appointment three or six months hence. At your next visit the process is repeated and the software recognises and highlights any changes.

This sort of mole mapping session at Freedom Health costs £300 and the return visit is £150. A small price to pay for peace of mind.

Mole removal

If you have had a consultation and decide you want to get rid of a mole the next step is another appointment. Moles can be removed by excision, or cutting, followed by stitches. This method is usually used to remove moles that are usually darker in colour or flat moles, or both.

The doctor maps out the mole and then sterilizes or cleans the area and numbs it. Then a scalpel is used to cut the mole and a border surrounding the mole. The border size depends on the concern of the surgeon about the possible chances of precancer or cancer for the mole being removed. Depending on the depth, stitches are placed either deep (these are absorbed by the body and do not have to be removed) or on the upper surface of the skin (these don't absorb and will be removed later).

Simple mole removals are rarely followed up with another visit, but this may vary depending on the type of mole.

You may receive a phone call from the doctor if there is any indication of unusual features once the tissue has been analysed by a pathologist. Then you would see the doctor for a follow-up recheck of the area and full examination of the rest of your body.

Freedom Health Nurse Practitioner Lee Garrett says: “It's a very simple procedure and usually takes about half an hour. It’s not just about unsightly moles, anything that can be pre-cancerous is good to get rid of. Patients always say they are relieved to see them gone and glad they did it.”

Mole removal at Freedom Health coats £280 for a small excision and £380 for a large one.

Photodynamic therapy

One of the most common problems amongst men is moles on the head, especially amongst bald men. Some clinic such as Freedom Health over a new therapy to banish them in one go.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) avoids surgery and surgical scars. This is especially important because the majority of basal cell skin cancers and solar keratoses will appear in areas which have been exposed to the sun and the majority of these on the head and neck. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a quick, easy, scar-less way of dealing with the most common skin cancer in the UK.

A special cream, preferentially absorbed by skin cancer cells is applied to the target area after diagnosis and then, after an interval a very bright light is used to illuminate the area. A slight tingling is felt whilst the light is applied. It is not painful. The skin cancer or pre-skin cancer will then crust and fall off in the next week or two, leaving fresh healthy skin beneath.

Skin cancer

The biggest cause is excessive exposure to sunlight.
One out of 100 diagnosed skin tumors is a malignant melanoma.
Melanoma is 100% curable - if diagnosed in time.

If you have any of the following have your moles checked:
Sensitive light skin
Multiple moles - more than 50
A history of skin cancer in the family
Melanoma in your own medical history
Congenital moles larger than 5 mm in diameter
Conspicuous or recently changed moles
Suffered severe sunburn during childhood

What to look out for:
Changes in colour - darkening, loss of color, colour change
Decrease or increase in size/ thickness
Changes in the surrounding skin - redness, white spots, swelling
Itchiness, sores, odd sensation
Bleeding moles
Newly appeared moles especially for over 25s.

What you can do to avoid skin cancer:
Avoid intensive sunbathing.
Stay out of the sun between 11am - 3pm.
Monitor your skin.
See your doctor is you have any concerns.

More info: Freedom Health, 60 Harley Street, W1G 7HA. www.freedomhealth.co.uk. Tel: 07834 536 607