Mole Check

Noticed a few odd looking moles lately? Aside from staying covered up and out of the sun, regular mole checks are a must for early skin cancer prevention and treatment. For an easy, accurate mole check, pop into Home Pharmacy today.

We use the latest technology in mole check analysis to accurately assess and track moles. The initial screening takes only a few minutes, and no appointment is necessary.  Moles are photographed using a specialised device and sent to a qualified dermatologist who is able to assess whether urgent treatment is required, or, to advise what you need to look out for in the future.

For effective skin cancer prevention, moles should be checked regularly. It is recommended that you have your moles checked by an expert at least every six months. If you’ve had a mole removed, the recommendation is to continue to have checks every three months.

We can assess up to three moles, and have results to you within a week.

Assessing moles regularly and identifying skin cancer early really does help – a person with a melanoma of less than 0.75mm thick can expect to have a 95% cure rate!

How much does Mole Check cost?

$40 for 1 spot

$70 for 2 spots

$100 for 3 spots

What’s the difference between a Mole Check and a full skin check (Mole Map)?

A Mole Check assesses up to three individual spots and only takes a few minutes. A full skin check Mole Map is a more in-depth process, requiring the full body to be scanned by a dermatologist. A full skin check should be conducted if you have more than three suspicious spots.

What moles should I have checked?

We recommend you use Mole Check for any moles you have noticed one or more of the following symptoms:

  • it has changed/is changing colour
  • it has changed/is changing shape and size
  • it is inflamed; it is itchy or painful
  •  it is protruding or causing irritation (for example, it’s catching on clothing).

Did you know about these Melanoma facts?

  •     New Zealand and Australia have the highest rates of melanoma in the world
  •     Approximately 50% of all Kiwis will get a skin cancer in their lifetime
  •     80% of all new cancers diagnosed in New Zealand are skin cancers
  •     Melanoma is the leading cancer for males aged 25 to 44 years old and the second most common for females of the same age.
  •     Melanoma is the fourth most common life-threatening cancer in New Zealand for all ages combined
  •     Melanoma is the most serious of all skin cancers. However it is by no means the most prevalent and only forms less that 5% of all skin cancers.
  •     From the age of 50, the rate of all skin cancers increase significantly with each decade of age.

While these facts don’t sound promising, the good news is that skin cancers from moles that are found and removed early are almost always curable. So early diagnosis matters! 52% of the melanoma we find are discovered by monitoring and identifying the tiniest of changes each time you come in with our mole-checking service. Changes can be monitored both externally and internally for signs that aren’t visible to the naked eye.