Hi,

I'm sorry you are going through this worrying time.

Medical photography is a triage system that is used at some hospitals. They will take photos of your mole using equipment that doesn't just show the outer surface of the mole but also the cell structure. They then send the photos to Dermatology where a consultant will examine them. If they think the mole looks suspicious they will then arrange an appointment for you to be seen face to face so they can examine the mole with a dermascope (a handheld microscope that magnifies the cells). If they think all looks fine you will be discharged. If, however, they think the mole needs removing for a biopsy, you will get an appointment to go back for it's removal under local anaesthetic - usually as a day patient. The tissue gets sent off for histology to examine & confirm if it's melanoma or it's benign or it's dysplastic (precancerous). 75% of patients referred to dermatology are given a clean bill of health. Those who are diagnosed with melanoma are usually caught early so it can be treated successfully with surgery.

I hope this helps and that you aren't waiting too long to hear about the result of the photos. Please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

I can't say because all hospitals are different. Some contact you within days whilst others it may be a week or two.