Protecting your skin from cancer starts with regular checkups. But what’s the difference between a standard annual skin check and mole mapping—and do you really need both? Let’s break it down.
What Is a Skin Check?
An annual skin check is a full-body exam performed by a dermatologist to look for suspicious moles and lesions. It’s quick, non-invasive, and can help detect skin cancer in its earliest stages—when it’s most treatable.
What Is Mole Mapping?
Mole mapping uses advanced imaging technology (such as DermEngine) to create high-resolution photographs of your skin. These images are stored and compared over time, allowing your dermatologist to detect subtle changes in size, shape, or color that might otherwise be missed.
Do You Need Both?
An annual skin check is the foundation of skin cancer prevention. But mole mapping adds another layer of protection—especially if you:
- Have a personal or family history of melanoma
- Have many moles or atypical moles
- Have fair skin, light eyes, or a history of sunburns
- Spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun
Think of it this way: a skin check gives you a professional exam once a year, while mole mapping provides a year-over-year ‘memory’ of your skin, making it easier to detect subtle changes that might be missed by observation alone. Together, they make it easier to spot skin changes early.
Protecting Your Health
Both annual skin checks and mole mapping play important roles in catching skin cancer before it becomes dangerous. If you’re at higher risk, combining the two offers the most thorough protection. At Medovate Dermatology, mole mapping includes a full baseline evaluation with total body photography, careful documentation of your moles, and expert analysis by our dermatology team. At future visits, these images are compared side-by-side to detect subtle changes that may signal early melanoma or other skin cancers—often long before they’re visible to the naked eye. This offers some of the most effective protection against skin cancer, helping safeguard both your health and longevity.
Ready to take the next step? Call (847) 499-5500 today to schedule your appointment, and we’ll create a personalized skin monitoring plan that’s right for you.