Early Melanoma Detection with Mole Mapping on Long Island

Skin cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer, but early detection is a key component to getting it under control. At Long Island Dermatology, our entire team of clinicians and specialists uses mole mapping to help with this process. Mole mapping allows us to track the progress of moles and changes in your skin over time so we can better understand what’s happening. For our patients who have a higher risk of melanoma, mole mapping is an excellent mechanism for keeping a watchful eye on your skin’s progress. A dermoscopy or other skin examination is a normal part of our mole mapping program at Long Island Dermatology, and we look forward to giving all our patients important peace of mind when it comes to changes in their skin.

Call 516.272.4193 now to schedule or book your appointment online via ZocDoc.

Mole mapping specialists

In general, mole mapping is used to detect melanoma at the earliest possible stage. This allows malignant moles to be properly removed and treated. Mole mapping helps our doctors keep track of existing moles you have on your body, in addition to identifying new ones promptly. In particular, our doctors recommend mole mapping for the following patients and situations:

• Patients with more than 50 moles on their body.
• Moles with unusual shapes and/or coloring.
• Moles on the back, which are harder for patients to keep track of.
• A previous history with melanoma or familial history with melanoma.
• Severely sunburned moles or skin.
• Moles or freckles that have recently changed in shape or size.

The mole mapping process from start to finish

If you plan to begin a mole mapping regimen with one of our specialists here at Long Island Dermatology, here is what to expect. Makeup, long hair, nail polish, and other accessories and styling products can obscure or cover the skin and should be removed prior to your visit. Before we begin the examination, we discuss with our patients the typical risk factors for developing melanoma, and note preliminary information about your skin type, your family history with melanoma, sun exposure, and more. We firmly believe educating our patients throughout the entire process is extremely important with regard to treatment and early melanoma detection. During the examination, we take photographs to continue monitoring any mole’s progress over time.

Advantages and disadvantages of mole mapping

While mole mapping is one of the best ways to provide early detection of melanoma, there are some distinct disadvantages, as well.

• Mapping allows us to scrutinize previous lesions if they change, but if the lesion itself is in a private area or area unseen by an initial mapping, it’s hard to tell what has changed.
• Melanoma can sometimes grow rapidly, and at times quicker than the time between mapping sessions.

At Long Island Dermatology, we do our best to ensure the mole mapping process works as planned, because it truly is one of the best ways to detect skin cancer early on when it can more easily be treated and taken care of.

Call (516) 272-4193 for early melanoma detection on Long Island.