The University of Michigan has produced a new iOS app to aid patients in self check for skin cancer. Called UNSkinCheck, the free app includes:
- steps to a skin cancer self exam
- continuing surveillance
- creating and storyg a full body photographic library
- track detected moles/lesions
- download informational videos and literature
Creating a Skin Cancer Prevention Story in Pictures
A skin cancer self exam is used to identify suspicious moles or lesions that may be cancer or growths that may develop into skin cancer (precancers). Individuals who are at a high risk of skin cancer are encouraged to perform frequent skin self exams and to have full body photographic surveys taken by professional photographers. Now with UMSkinCheck patients will be able to complete a full skin cancer self exam and survey, track and create a history of moles and lesions all through a handheld mobile device.
“Whole body photography is a well-established resource for following patients at risk for melanoma. However, it requires a professional photographer, is not always covered by insurance, and can be an inconvenience. Now that many people have digital cameras on their phones, it’s more feasible to do this at home,” says Michael Sabel, M.D., associate professor of surgery at the U-M Medical School, who was the lead physician involved in developing the app.
More than 2 million Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each year, and some 50,000 will be diagnosed with melanoma, the most serious kind. Regular skin checks can help people discover melanoma in its earliest stages.
The app, a collaboration of the University of Michigan’s technology and clinical expertise, guides users through a series of 23 photos, covering the body from head to toe. Photos are stored within the app and serve as a baseline for future comparisons. The app will create a reminder to repeat a skin self-exam on a regular basis.
If a mole appears to be changing or growing, the photos can then be shared with your dermatologist at Associates in Dermatology to help determine whether a biopsy is necessary.