I've always had moles and kept a close eye on them, particularly as I've got older. Having two that seemed to have changed in recent times, I was really keen to utilise the skin cancer pathway available with DCA.

I got an appointment a couple of hours later, and after a few questions to confirm my eligibility in the pathway, the clinician talked me through the next steps.

Minutes later I received my notes with all the information I needed to register on the Skin Analytics portal and arrange from the kit to be sent out.

It arrived the next morning!

• A mobile phone with charging leads

• A dermoscope that attaches by a magnetic clip to the smartphone for taking the close up photo

• An instruction leaflet - an absolute must read before doing anything else!

There's a bit of to and fro between their device and yours so that as you take the photos, you upload them into your account - the on screen instructions are very clear though.

For each mole or lesion (and you can query up to 3 maximum), you take:

• Two context images - taken 20cm away so the location can be clearly seen

• One dermoscopic image - taken with the attachment, which has a light you switch on, and is placed on the skin

I was slightly delayed uploading my photos due to needing a friend to help with the location of one mole being difficult to reach. But the images were uploaded Monday morning so now I just waited for the results.

By first thing Tuesday morning, I received the results. The outcome was reassuring, with no action needed and I was formally discharged with peace of mind.

From consultation to results, the entire process took just a few days - with no need for in-person appointments. Thankfully this time no action was needed, and I was reminded to keep monitoring and get back in touch if there is any change in their appearance, size or shape. 

It really is a promising example of how technology can support timely, accessible skin assessments. If you or family or friends have skin health concerns, I would definitely recommend using this pathway.