Self-Examination Key to Melanoma

Nearly 75% Melanomas Detected by Patients or Non-Medics

Melanoma kills more than 50,000 people worldwide annually. Catching it early dramatically improves the outcomes; and as the majority of melanoma are found by non-medical persons – most often the patient themselves – the emphasis is on self-checking and awareness.

However, a study published in the Journal of Health Communication has shown that there is room for improvement in communications to train people in what to look for.

Eye-tracking technology used in the study showed that illustrations were actually more effective than photos in helping people spot problematic moles, as illustrations led participants to fixate on atypical moles longer than photographs did. However, photos were helpful in making people feel more confident in their self-assessment of what is ‘normal’.

Brigham Young University communications professor Kevin John explained:

“If you are trying to make somebody more effective at determining that a mole is atypical, which means potentially cancerous, then you use illustrations.

“And if the average person is equipped with basic criteria to tell whether a mole is suspicious or not, hopefully that will get them to a doctor.”

Melanomas caught at the earliest stage can be treated very easily with mole removal surgery. Early treatment has excellent outcomes, but as melanoma progresses and spreads, the chances of a positive outcome decline.

Private Mole Checks & Removal

The London Mole Removal Centre is a private company, offering checks and treatment for unwanted moles and other skin lesions (cysts, skin tags, warts, verruca, lipoma etc) at 5 mole removal clinics.

All consultations and treatments are carried out in person by doctors who are specially trained in the latest laser and skin surgery techniques and are highly experienced in the field.

Further advantages of private treatment at the London Mole Removal Centre include: