What to Expect: Your Mole Mapping Experience at The Skin Doctor

Before your appointment

Arrive with clean skin — no makeup, sunscreen, fake tan, nail polish, or heavy moisturisers.
Wear easily removable clothing; you’ll change into a gown or suitable undergarments.
Remove jewellery and tie long hair up/off the neck and back.
Think about your past skin cancer history and your family history of skin cancers. If you are unsure, it helps to ask family members before your appointment so you can give accurate information to your doctor.
Bring any previous pathology or dermatology reports and a current medication list.
Please be on time to allow for both imaging and your physician consultation.

During your appointment

You’ll step into the VECTRA® WB360 booth where 92 cameras capture your skin from every angle in seconds.
Our imaging nurse will guide you into precise poses to ensure every area is visible.
Once your 3D images are complete, you will immediately proceed to a thorough, head-to-toe skin examination with your skin cancer physician.
This examination involves looking at every single mole, freckle, and lesion on your body, including the scalp, soles, and under nails, using a state-of-the-art digital dermatoscope capable of peering into the skin and showing you the image in detail on our large HD computer screens. This technology allows us to detect the earliest stages of skin cancer that may be invisible to the naked eye.

Timing

The imaging plus examination takes around one hour in total — with approximately 40 minutes spent in the doctor’s examination.

After your scan

For standalone 3D programs, repeat 3D imaging is performed every year, with your doctor’s skin check at each visit.

Before your appointment

Same preparation as 3D: no makeup, sunscreen, fake tan, nail polish, or jewellery.
Wear loose clothing and bring any relevant medical history.
Consider your personal and family history of skin cancer. If unsure, speak to family members before your appointment so your doctor has the most accurate information possible.

During your appointment

Our imaging nurse will take a set of standardised Vectra® 2D total-body photographs.
This is followed immediately by a full-length, 40-minute head-to-toe examination with your skin cancer physician.
Every lesion is assessed using our state-of-the-art digital dermatoscope, which allows us to look deep into the skin and display the magnified view on large HD computer screens so you can see exactly what we see. This advanced imaging helps us pick up skin cancers at their very earliest stage.
Any suspicious spots are photographed through the dermatoscope and linked to your baseline images for precise future tracking.

Timing

Total appointment time is around one hour, with imaging at the start and a 40-minute detailed examination immediately after.

After your scan

Repeat 2D imaging is performed every year, with the same comprehensive examination at each visit.

Before your appointment

Prepare as above: clean skin, no products, easily removable clothing, jewellery off, hair up.
Review your own and your family’s skin cancer history, checking with relatives if you’re unsure of their exact diagnoses. This helps your doctor tailor your risk assessment.
Allow 90–120 minutes for the two-location visit.

During your appointment

Stage 1: 3D mapping at Diamond Creek with lesion tagging.
Stage 2: 2D mapping at Ivanhoe followed immediately by a full, 40-minute, head-to-toe physician examination using our state-of-the-art digital dermatoscope. This device allows us to peer into the skin’s structure and project the view onto our large HD computer screens, so you can clearly see what we see. This approach is one of the most effective ways to catch skin cancers at their very earliest stage.

Timing

The entire combined visit is longer than standalone sessions due to travel between sites, but the examination component is still 40 minutes with your doctor.

After your scans

3D mapping is repeated every 3 years, with annual 2D imaging and a 40-minute physician examination in between.