With Spring in full swing, it marks the time of year when not only does the temperature begin to warm up, but people are starting to plan vacations and outdoor activities to live their summer to the fullest. With the increase of outdoor activities, from outdoor dining, to pool/ beach days, or even watching your kid’s soccer game… you and your family will undeniably spend more time catching rays in the hot summer sun.
Though skin and sun protection is important year-round, you aren’t wrong for taking extra precautions in the spring and summer months. UV rays are in fact higher, and your daily sunscreen will require more applications due to the heat, sweat, and sebum that tends to accumulate on your face during these months.
Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and wearing loose clothing to cover large areas exposed to the sun are all great steps… but to truly protect yourself and your loved ones, you should add mole mapping to your skin protection protocol.
What is mole mapping?
So what is mole mapping anyway?
To put it simply, mole mapping is a medical procedure where your skin care physician will closely examine moles on your skin, to determine any abnormalities that may lead to melanoma (skin cancer).
What to expect from your mole mapping session
Upon arriving at your mole mapping appointment, your skin care physician will ask about both your, and your family’s medical history. The skin care physician will then begin to examine moles, to identify abnormalities in size, colour and texture. If a mole is of concern to the skin care physician, she may use a tool known as a dermoscopy to examine it closer and rule out any issues.
Who can benefit from mole mapping?
When it comes to mole mapping, any mole is worth monitoring! However, you should be extra cautious if you meet the following:
- You have more than 50-100 moles on your body
- Your moles are larger in shape and have an unusual colour
- Your moles are on your back and you can’t keep a close eye on them
- You have a previous history of melanoma
- Skin disorders or melanoma runs in your family
- You have a mole that got severely burned
- You noticed a recent change in the shape and colour of your mole
Why is it important in Spring?
So you got this far, and are wondering why Spring is the best time for mole mapping?
Mole mapping is especially important in spring (or before summer), as prior to going into the season of heightened UV rays you want to rule out any major concerns. For instance, if your skin care physician detects any form of precancer or active cancer, it would be important to take extra precautions to ensure that it doesn’t worsen or spread to other areas of the body… and of course, get it treated.
If you skip out on mole mapping before summer, you may not be aware of abnormalities on your skin, which would then worsen with sun exposure.
Where to seek treatment
If you are looking for a physician for mole mapping in the Vancouver area, Dr. Shehla Ebrahim is accepting new patients. To book an appointment with Dr. Shehla Ebrahim, click HERE. Please note that we do not accept email enquiries.