Appointment Type: Total Body Photography

Total Body Photography (also known as Mole Mapping) is now available at Molescope! We are using DermEngine software and taking high quality images with good quality lighting to take photos of your whole body to track your moles.

Total Body Photography is a great way to have a full set of images of your skin from head to toe so that your Doctor can see if any moles change or if new moles appear in the future. It’s very hard to keep track of areas of your body like your back, the back of your legs, the top of your head and the soles of your feet. All those areas (and more) are captured with these photos.

Total Body Photography appointments can be made by any of our patients but need to be paired with a Full Skin Check appointment for review of the images by a Doctor. You can book your Total Body Photography appointment on the day of your appointment (if appointments are available) or up to 2 weeks prior to your appointment.

The images from your Total Body Photography appointment are integrated immediately into our DermEngine software. When you see your Doctor, if they examine your skin and find a suspicious mole that needs further photos taken (including dermoscopic images) then the Total Body Photos will be used to click on the mole location and link it to the new closer-up images that are taken. This makes it much easier to identify that specific mole and track potential changes over time, especially dermoscopic changes.

The Total Body Photos are going to be especially useful in the future when photos are taken in identical poses and comparison between the two photos can be made. DermEngine has special features including the use of AI that help compare these two photos. If you’re a long term patient of Molescope you’ve likely had some photos taken in the past and some comparisons may be possible in DermEngine although the Total Body Photography set of photos uses specific poses that may not exactly match previous photos.

Who should book a Total Body Photography appointment?

• All new patients should consider booking to get a full set of baseline images on our system
• All patients with a personal or family history of Melanoma are strongly recommended to have Total Body Photography done regularly (your Doctor will advise on the frequency)
• All patients with a large number of moles are strongly recommended to have regular Total Body Photography as it can be especially difficult to detect new or changed moles without these images
• Any patient can book a Total Body Photography appointment even if not in a high risk category

Booking an appointment
Currently bookings are available by phoning our friendly receptionists on 9725 3003. They will book your Total Body Photography appointment as well as the follow-up Skin Check appointment with the Doctor of your choice.

Total Body Photography appointments should be made prior to your Skin Check appointment, either on the day of your appointment (where spaces are available) or up to 2 weeks prior.

Cost
Cost is $90

There is no medicare rebate for the Total Body Photography, however, some Private Health insurers will cover the cost of Total Body Photography/Mole Mapping and we will provide you with a detailed receipt that will allow you to claim from your Private Health fund.

How to prepare for your appointment:

• Make sure you are on time for your appointment
• Wear no makeup on the day of your appointment
• Jewellery will need to be removed for your appointment
• Avoid spray/fake tans for at least 2 weeks prior, ideally 4+ weeks
• Wear clothes that will be easy to change out of for your photos
• Underwear will be worn for your photos so bear this in mind

How the appointment works
You will be seeing the Nurse who will take you into the dedicated Total Body Photography room.

Once you are undressed (with underwear still on) the Nurse will start taking your photos. You will be asked to stand and move into various poses to allow photos to be taken of all parts of your body.

The appointment will take approximately 15 minutes.

If you have issues with balance and usually use a walking stick or 4-wheel frame please let our Nurse know and they will adjust the poses to make sure you are safe.

Once all the photos have been taken you will get dressed and if your appointment with the Doctor is shortly afterwards you will return to the waiting room to wait to see the Doctor.

FAQ
What is the difference between Total Body Photography and photos taken during a Skin Check?
Total Body Photography is a comprehensive set of photos that cover most areas of the body. These photos are taken in set poses, as guided by the software, ensuring that future photos of the same part of the body are also taken in the same pose. This allows for direct comparison of these photos over time. The photos are taken systematicaly, regardless of whether there are currently spots evident. It provides a baseline for future comparison to make clear whether spots have appeared or changed over time.

Photos taken during Skin Check appointments are usually based on the examination, such as photos of spots of concern and/or dermoscopic photos. Photos are not necessarily taken in the set poses as outined through the Total Body Photogrpaphy process, or taken of your whole body. Having Total Body Photography photos available at the beginning of your appointment allows your doctor to review these photos with you and spend more time on examination and taking the closer-up and/or dermoscopic photos as required.

Why do I need a Skin Check as well?
Total Body Photography is only a tool that assists doctors in their examination of your skin. The photos taken can only be reviewed by your doctor as part of your skin check appointment, where they can more cloesely examine in-person any spots of concern, as well as potentially take additional close-up dermoscopic photos. Although Total Body Photography is a valuable tool, it is not in itself a diagnostic tool. Taking photos without those photos being reviewed by your doctor as part of their examination of your skin would defeat the purpose of taking them in the first place.

Why is there no Medicare rebate?
There is not currently a Medicare rebate for Total Body Photography/Mole Mapping, but this may change in the future. However, there is a Medicare rebate for the follow-up Skin Check with the doctor. Although we recommend patients have Total Body Photography, we have chosen to make it an additional option. If you hear elsewhere that there are Medicare rebates available, it will be with regards to them billing the Total Body Photography and Skin Check together, and it is the rebate for the Skin Check component to which they refer.

How much does my Private Health Insurance cover?
The amount that Private Health insurance will cover varies between companies and policies. Some will cover the full amount, whereas others may not cover it at all. We encourage you to check your own level of coverage with your health fund.

Can you claim for me with Private Health electronically?
Unfortunately our systems are not able to submit private health insurance claims (or check level of coverage) electronically. However, we are able to provide you with a receipt that allows you to claim with your specific fund (if covered in your policy).

Why can’t I have a fake tan in the 2-4 weeks prior to the appointment?
The photos need to show all moles on your skin, including small moles and moles that have pigment that is only slightly different to your usual skin. A fake tan may cover up small or lighter coloured moles.

Can I bring someone with me?
You are welcome to bring a support person with you to your appointment, however they will not be able to be in the room while the photos are being taken (there isn’t space). They can help you with getting changed if required but will then need to wait in the waiting room while the photos are taken. We request that you do not bring children to the appointment.

Why does the appointment have to be within 2 weeks of the Skin Check appointment?
The images will be reviewed by the Doctor at the time of your Skin Check appointment. We have set this timeframe to allow for the photos to closely match what the Doctor is seeing on the skin at the time of the appointment.

If I’m booked in for a Spot Check can I have a Total Body Photography appointment?
Total Body Photography appointments must be matched with a full Skin Check appointment so that the Doctor can look at all the images during the time of the appointment and review all moles of concern.

What if my body is very hairy does it affect the images?
It is harder to get good images of the skin under hair and so there will be some limitations to the ability to clearly show any moles in the affected areas in Total Body Photography. However, it does still more easily allow the Doctor to mark areas on those photos that have moles of concern that have been shown by examination in the consultation and close up photography.

Are all my moles clearly seen on the images?
We cannot guarantee that all moles will be shown on the images. Any moles under your underwear clearly won’t be shown. Other areas that won’t be necessarily captured include your scalp (under your hair), between fingers and toes and the armpits. If you know you have any moles in these areas you can ask for extra photos to be taken of these areas. Small moles and lesions with minimal brown pigment (eg. slightly red areas) may not show up on the photos and that is one reason that these photos are only a supplement to a full examination by a Skin Cancer Doctor in person.

What if I notice a new or changed mole between the day my photos are taken and the day I see the Doctor?
If you notice any moles change or appear new between the time of your Total Body Photography appointment and your Skin Check appointment, please let your Doctor know at the appointment so they can specifically look at that mole in more detail.

You may book your Total Body Photography appointment by calling our friendly receptionists on 9725 3003 during office hours, or alternatively you can book your Skin Check online now and then call to schedule your Total Body Photography appointment prior to your Skin Check.