Skin health guide
How to check your moles
Regular self-examination is one of the most effective ways to catch skin cancer early. This step-by-step guide takes under five minutes and could make a real difference.
How often should you check?
Most dermatologists recommend a full-body self-examination every 4–6 weeks. This frequency is enough to notice meaningful changes without becoming a source of anxiety. If your GP has flagged a specific mole for monitoring, they may advise more frequent checks — MoleWatch can adjust your reminder schedule accordingly.
The six-step check
Find good lighting
Use bright, natural light where possible. Artificial lighting can flatten colour and make subtle changes harder to see. Make sure your skin is clean and dry before you begin.
Use a full-length mirror
Stand in front of a full-length mirror. Use a handheld mirror for hard-to-see areas like your back, scalp, and the backs of your legs. Check everywhere — skin cancer can develop in areas that rarely see the sun, including between the toes, under fingernails, and on the soles of your feet.
Check from head to toe — systematically
Work through your body in a consistent order each time: face, scalp (use a comb to part your hair), neck, chest, arms, torso, back, legs, and feet. A systematic approach means you won't miss areas and you'll get better at noticing changes over time.
Apply the ABCDE checklist to each mole
For any mole you're unsure about, run through the ABCDE criteria: Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter, Evolving. You're not trying to diagnose anything — you're looking for what's changed since your last check. A mole that looks identical to how it looked six weeks ago is generally reassuring.
Photograph and track changes over time
Memory alone is unreliable for tracking subtle changes in moles. Taking consistent photographs — same angle, same lighting, same distance — gives you a documented record that's far more useful than trying to recall how a mole looked weeks ago. This is what MoleWatch is built to help with.
The app uses guided capture to help you photograph each mole consistently, and stores photos only on your device. No sign-up, no cloud storage.
Act on anything that concerns you
If you notice a mole that has changed, looks different from your others, or simply doesn't look right — book a GP appointment. You don't need to have a specific ABCDE concern to get something checked. GPs would always rather reassure you than have you wait on something that needed attention sooner.
When to see your GP immediately
Don't wait for your next scheduled check if you notice any of the following:
A mole that has grown noticeably in a short period
A mole that bleeds, itches, or crusts without injury
A new spot that looks different from your existing moles — particularly if it appears after age 30
Any change in a mole that was previously stable
Self-checks are a complement, not a replacement
Regular self-examination is not a substitute for professional skin checks. See your GP for a full-body skin check at least once a year — more often if you have risk factors like fair skin, a family history of melanoma, or a high number of moles. Your GP can identify things that are difficult to assess visually at home, and can refer you to a dermatologist if needed.
Think of self-checks as what happens between appointments — a consistent habit that means you're likely to notice something earlier, and arrive at your GP visit with useful, documented information rather than just a vague sense of concern.
Make your self-checks count
Photograph, track, and compare your moles over time. Free to download.
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