What is mole mapping?

Mole mapping is a way of recording the moles on your skin so they can be compared over time. Instead of relying on memory or a quick visual check, your clinician has a detailed photographic record of every mole, taken under the same conditions each visit.

How it works

At Southwest Skin Clinic we use FotoFinder, a total-body imaging system used by dermatology centres around the world. A mole mapping appointment has two parts:

• Total-body photography. A series of standardized photographs is taken of your skin from head to toe. These images show where each mole is and what it looks like.
• Digital dermoscopy. Moles that need a closer look are photographed with a dermatoscope, a magnifying camera that shows structures beneath the skin surface that can't be seen with the naked eye.

The images are stored securely in your file. At your next visit, new images are compared side by side with the previous set. FotoFinder's software helps flag moles that are new or have changed in size, shape or colour.

Why change matters

Most moles are harmless and stay the same for years. Melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer, often shows up as a new mole or a mole that changes. Early melanoma can be subtle and hard to spot by eye, especially in people with many moles. Comparing images over time makes small changes much easier to see, and melanoma found early is highly treatable.

Who should consider it

Mole mapping is especially useful if you have:

• Fair skin, or skin that burns easily
• A high mole count (50 or more)
• Atypical or dysplastic moles
• Large moles present since birth
• A personal or family history of melanoma
• A history of tanning bed use or blistering sunburns

What to expect

You'll change into a gown and the photographs are taken in a private room. The imaging itself is painless. Afterwards your results are reviewed by our physicians. If a mole looks concerning, we can arrange removal and pathology directly, without a separate referral.

Most people repeat mole mapping once a year, or as advised by their physician. Mole mapping is a private service and is not covered by OHIP. Documentation can be provided for submission to private insurance.