Dermoscopy Skin - Mole Mapping Milan – Dermatologist - Videodermoscopy
The term mole mapping usually refers to a surveillance program for those at high risk of malignant melanoma or with high number of cutaneous nevi. It may include a clinical skin examination and dermoscopy to identify and evaluate quality and amount of lesions of concern. Mole mapping have the aim to diagnose melanoma at the earliest possible stage, by identifying new moles or changes in preexisting moles. These features may be suspicious of melanoma if the lesion also has a disordered structure clinically or on dermoscopy. Dermoscopy and mole mapping represent an important tool for skin cancer screening.
What Mole Mapping Usually Involves
You will be asked to remove at least outer clothing. Let the staff know if you feel uncomfortable, especially if there are lesions of concern hidden by your underwear. Makeup, nail polish should be removed prior to the procedure.
You are likely to undergo the following steps:
Risk evaluation (ie, medical and family history, skin typing, sun exposure)
Patient education regarding sun protection, moles, and melanoma
Skin examination by a health professional. This may involve:
· Marking spots on a cartoon drawing of you to indicate the position of skin lesions of concern, particularly moles and freckles
. Annotating the characteristic of moles in the medical report.
· Photographs or digital images of the whole body’s skin surface and of the atipic moles. These can be reviewed at a later date to see if there are any new skin lesions or whether preexisting skin lesions have grown or changed color or shape.
Evaluation of the images by an expert in skin cancer, usually a dermatologist
A report to you and/or your referring health practitioner including suspected diagnoses and recommendations for treatment of lesions of concern
Follow-up:
· 3 to 6 months for atipic lesions
· 1 to 2 years or as recommended by your doctor for all routine follow-up
Mole mapping is particularly useful for individuals who have:
· Many moles (more than 50 to 100)
· Atypical or dysplastic nevi – moles that are large or of unusual colors or shapes
· Moles on the back or other area, which may be difficult to keep an eye on
· Previous history of melanoma
· Strong family history of melanoma
· Moles and fair skin that has been severely sunburned
· Concerns about individual moles or freckles, eg, because of their appearance or recent change
Advantages
The previous record can be used to determine whether a lesion of concern is new or has changed.
If the doctor determines that a lesion has the criteria for removal, this can be done at the earliest possible stage, reducing the risk of melanoma and minimizing surgery.
If a lesion is new or has changed, but does not reach the threshold for removal, it can be reimaged and watched carefully.
Lesion that do have not structural disorder and have not changed are very unlikely to be melanoma and so may not need to be removed, reducing the cost, risk and complication of surgery.
DETECT Skin Cancer: Body Mole Map
Follow these instruction regularly to conduct thorough skin exams:
1) The ABCDEs of Melanoma. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, however, when detected early, melanoma is highly treatable. You can identify the warning signs of melanoma by looking for the following: A) ASYMMETRY: one half unlike the other half; B) BORDER: irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border; C) COLOR: varied from one area to another; shades of tan and brown, black; sometimes whit, red or blue; D) DIAMETER: melanomas are usually greater than 6 mm when diagnosed; E) EVOLVING: a mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color.
2) SKIN CANCER SELF-EXAMINATION. Check your skin means taking note of all the spots on your body, from moles to freckles to age spots. Skin cancer can develop anywhere on the skin and is one of the few cancers you can usually see. Ask someone for help when checking your skin, especially in hard-to-see places. Examine body front and back in mirror, especially legs; bend elbows, look carefully forearms, back of upper arms, and palms. Look at fett, spaces between toes and soles. Examine back of neck and scalp with a hand mirror. Check back , buttocks and genitals with hand mirror
3) Record your nevi and freckles with digital image
PREVENT SKIN CANCER
Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma. You can have fun in the sun following those tips:
- Wear protective clothing: long sleeved shirt, pants, hat and sunglasses
- Apply a broad-spectrum, water resistant sunscreen with SPF of 30 or higher to all exposed skin.
- Broad-spectrum sunscreen provides protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Reapply approximately every 2 hours and after swimming or sweating, even on cloudy days.
- Remember that water, snow and sand reflect the rays of the sun, increasing the UV rays dose impacting your skin
- Avoid tanning bed
- Get Vitamin D safely, few minutes of sun daily are enough to produce vitamin D or get vitamin d through vitamin supplements.
- Seek shade between 11 am and 3 pm
TAKE HOME MESSAGE
Prevent, detect, live.
Dr Giovanni Biondo
Via Meravigli 16, Milan
+39 02 366 85 103
+39 329 7347765
Comentários