Hi,

The dermatologist that saw you used a dermascope to check your moles. It's a magnifying glass that shows them any usual activity within the mole. It sounds like you have a few that look unusual but not dodgy enough that it's felt they need removing. The dermatologists are expert in knowing what to look for & in asking you to keep a photographic record of your moles is how they can be monitored for any changes. I would accept the advice he's given and photograph your moles every week or two weeks - if you see any changes then certainly go back to your GP so you can be referred again. Many people have dodgy looking moles but they can still be benign - as long as an expert has seen them I would wait to see if any change over the next few weeks/months. A good tip is to download an app that you can help to monitor your moles - there are several available & you can use the photos on it to show your GP if there are any changes.

Angie (melanoma patient)

Thank you for your reply, yes I recently downloaded SkinVision and I have another one too I will use. I can't believe how much skincare/sunscreen isn't spoken about or hasn't been spoken about in the past. I have always known sunbeds arnt good but I always thought it was for fair skinned people. I have never had so much anxiety about looking after my skin than I have the past couple of month. Do you know if there is anything I can put on my skin for example any cream or everyday lotion to help protect it? Also the dermatologist pointed out around 5 of my moles to keep track of but do you think it's worth just photographing my full body? I have some moles but I also have small circles which their in bunches of two or three which i don't know if they are moles or freckles. I feel like I need to educate myself more but I'm finding looking through the Internet is just making me more anxious  

Photographing all your moles is called mole mapping and it isn't offered on the NHS, even for melanoma patients, unless the consultant thinks it's necessary. It can be done privately - search the internet to find local clinics - it can be quite expensive though. For the moment I would just monitor the moles the consultant picked out & just cast an eye over your others for any obvious changes. People who have lots of moles are more prone to having a few dodgy looking ones but they can still be fine! 

We try to educate people about skin safety & the sun/sunbeds - it's actually being talked about more in magazine, newspapers and on daytime TV. Basically, in the UK the sun isn't strong enough to cause a problem in the winter months & we are usually wrapped up against the cold anyway, so the face is the only place to protect - either a face moisturiser with an SPF included (minimum 20) or sunscreen. The rest of the year, and when abroad, a good SPF sun screen, minimum 30, should be used on any uncovered parts of the skin. A hat (to protect ears & scalp) and sunglasses should also be worn. Any sun screen with 4 or 5 stars is fine - it doesn't have to be an expensive one, some supermarket brands are 4 or 5 star & SPF 30 and above. Just find one that suits your skin (some can be thick or greasy). And sunbeds should never be used! This website is excellent for advice www.skcin.org/.../

xx