Skin Inspection
FAQ

The incidence of skin cancer is increasing, and the majority of cases can be cured if detected early. Mole checks allow early diagnosis of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

The ABCDE rule covers changes that might indicate a melanoma. This can help you to self-examine.

Asymmetry – one half of the mole doesn’t match the other;

Border – the edges may be irregular;

Colour – uneven colour;

Diameter – most melanomas are at least 6mm in diameter;

Evolving – when a mole starts to change. Any change – in size, shape, colour, elevation, or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting – can be suspicious.

The poorest prognosis is most often that of nodular melanoma, which can escape the ABCDE rule by being symmetrical, with regular borders and homogeneous colour, and often being only about 6mm in size. That is why we recommend combining self-examination with dermatologist visits for melanoma prevention and early detection.

All our Skin Inspections include the Consultant Dermatologist fee.

• • Full skin examination using dermoscopy. It is our ultimate service that gives you peace of mind. This is what we call Mole Check: £250
  • Total Body mole-mapping + Consultation with a Consultant Dermatologist: £390
  • Confocal microscopy, which is an accurate and painless procedure that may provide an alternative to physical biopsy. Our Consultant Dermatologist visualises a suspicious lesion with a resolution at the cellular level: £540

It is important to mention that we only use confocal microscopy when strictly necessary and for complex lesions. This means that many patients may not need confocal microscopy.

Furthermore total body mapping is particularly indicated for higher risk patients with many moles.

Therefore we are able to reassure many patients without having to deploy our more sophisticated resources. Skin Inspection is equipped with the most advanced technology only in case our patients benefit from it or if patients are coming for a second opinion. Our consultant dermatologists asses your skin, so you can decide what service you finally choose.

Oftentimes patients come to Skin Inspection for a second opinion, so they can make better informed decisions about their health. We believe that this is a sensible approach as other clinics do not have the cutting-edge technology that we offer or the high degree of specialisation of our Consultant Dermatologists. This is also important for patients referred by their GP and it is particularly critical for patients previously seen by non-medical practitioners. Skin Inspection is increasingly becoming the clinic where GPs come to have their own moles checked for a reason!

It is perfectly understandable that every case is different. The reality is that your skin is best assessed during the consultation, so you can decide what service you finally choose. We have cases in which patients select a higher level of inspection that the one they really need, this is not a problem because we can adjust the consultation type accordingly. If you are uncertain you can book an appointment with the concept “Skin Inspection (I am uncertain about the level of Skin Inspection that I need)”

Our guarantee

A consultant dermatologist with special interest in skin cancer inspection will personally perform the examinations. This differentiates us from many private clinics that offer mole checks run by non-dermatologists.

We also have a clear fee structure, which incorporates our “no surprises” policy when it comes to billing and includes a money-back guarantee if you feel our results are not satisfactory. We believe that we are the only clinic in the area offering such a guarantee.

The most innovative equipment

We are one of the very few clinics in the UK offering confocal microscopy in conjunction with total body mapping. We have the most innovative equipment that allows us to analyse skin lesions quickly, painlessly and may help to catch suspicious lesions that would otherwise go undetected. Our ultimate goal is to perform an invasive procedure only when necessary.

Read more about confocal microscopy / Read more about total body mapping.

Second opinions

Referrals from other doctors or patients coming because of word of mouth make us particularly happy. Oftentimes patients come to Skin Inspection for a second opinion, so they can make better informed decisions. We believe that this is a sensible approach. Other times patients come to us directly because having the total body mapping done at Skin Inspection gives them extra peace of mind, for example, in cases where we need to use the confocal microscope for a deeper assessment of lesions. Patients know that we can save them valuable time and money.

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not totally convinced?

We fully understand that choosing a doctor is a very important decision. Please feel free to contact us if you have any further question or check our testimonials section to see what other patients say about us.

Dermoscopy is a non-invasive, in-vivo technique primarily used for the examination of skin lesions. A hand-held instrument called a dermatoscope, consisting of a light source and magnifying optics, enables the visualisation of sub-surface skin structures that are usually not visible to the naked eye. Dermoscopy allows early skin cancer recognition and decreases the frequency of biopsy for benign lesions.

Mole mapping is a procedure during which a patient’s moles (naevi) are indexed or ‘mapped’. Intended to diagnose melanoma at the earliest possible moment. One of the critical advantages of having your mole mapping done at Skin Inspection is that we can use our confocal microscope if needed. This allows us to go deeper into the lesion for extra peace of mind in more complex cases. Read more about Mole Mapping

Read more about Confocal Microscopy

Reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive and painless imaging technique that enables in-vivo visualisation of cellular details of the skin. It is like a virtual skin biopsy.

Traditionally, if a mole or spot was suspected malignant with the naked eye, a surgical biopsy was required to rule out skin cancer. The majority of skin biopsies of moles result in benign diagnosis, which meant the patient unnecessarily endured the discomfort and scarring of a biopsy and the subsequent anxiety of waiting for a diagnosis. Research has shown that RCM can reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies.

It consists of a medical consultation and a skin examination. During the consultation, we will ask you a few questions about your levels of sun exposure, sunbed use and your personal and family history of skin cancer. Then you will get a thorough dermoscopy examination of every mole, from head to toe. We will take dermoscopic images of any concerning skin lesion.

We combine the use of total-body photography and digital dermoscopy.

First, we take pictures of the whole skin surface from head to toe. The result is saved into a database, as a baseline for future surveillance. Then the patient will get a thorough dermoscopy examination of every mole, from head to toe. We will take digital dermoscopic images of some moles.

The patients are scheduled for a follow-up examination in three, six or 12 months to reassess the current moles with that of the stored images. At each follow-up visit, the consultant dermatologist compares the sequential dermoscopic images and examines the lesions for potential changes over time. If there are substantial changes, it can indicate skin cancer and excision would be recommended. There are early skin cancers that can be recognised only by observing their dynamic evolution over time.

The first step consists of a thorough dermoscopy examination of every mole from head to toe, and we capture dermoscopic images of any moles that require monitoring. We will then examine the cellular structure of any high-risk moles with reflectance confocal microscopy.

Yes, both techniques are painless and perfectly safe for children and pregnant women.

We accept major health insurers. Please note that health insurance policies do not usually cover our dynamic and complex skin inspections.

You will usually need to make an appointment with one of our doctors, although we may be able to see you on the same day. If you need to see us urgently, please contact us and we will endeavour to fit you in as soon as possible.

Appointments cancelled or rescheduled within 24 hours before the appointment time have a charge of 20% of the booked service fee.

Our billing department is ready to help you. Please contact our Office Team.

Yes, we not only offer clarity and peace of mind in the results we deliver. We also have a clear fee structure, which incorporates our “no surprises” policy when it comes to billing. As if it was not enough we include a money-back guarantee if you feel our results are not satisfactory. Mutual trust is an important aspect of the patient-physician relationship and we know that our patients are good people who use this guarantee responsibly.

The answer is yes for the majority of cases and as long as the theatre is available. Please give our Secretaries as much notice as possible so they can book the theatre. We understand how important our patient’s time is and we want to provide quick solutions. Many patients come to London for the day for a business trip.

Mole Check costs £250.

Normally a mole check is sufficient to reassure many patients without having to deploy our more sophisticated technology. We offer total body mapping (+£140) and confocal microscopy (+£240) in case our patients benefit from it or if they are coming for a second opinion. Our consultant dermatologists asses your case individually, so you can decide what service you finally choose.

Whilst we are always happy to talk to our patients on the phone or by email, we think that assessing a dermatologic condition is a critical matter that requires an in-situ inspection by a Consultant Dermatologist. Please contact our Office Staff if you have any particular query.