Skin cancer screening in Glasgow: which mole check do you need?

There’s no NHS skin cancer screening programme in Scotland, or anywhere else in the UK, so nobody will invite you for a check. If a mole is worrying you, there are three ways to get it looked at in Glasgow: your GP, a private mole check at a pharmacy such as Carmunnock Pharmacy, or a full body check or mole mapping at a private dermatology clinic. The right one depends on whether a mole has changed and how many moles you want checked.

If a mole is bleeding, growing quickly or has changed fast, don’t wait for a private check. Contact your GP and ask for an urgent appointment.

The short version

• One or a few moles you’re unsure about: a private mole check in Glasgow. A magnified photo is reviewed by a UK consultant dermatologist, usually within 48 hours, with no GP referral needed.
• A mole that has clearly changed, bleeds or itches: see your GP first. They can refer you urgently to a hospital skin clinic.
• Lots of moles, a past melanoma or a strong family history: a full body skin check or mole mapping at a private dermatology clinic, repeated over the years.
• Everyone: check your own skin once a month using the ABCDE signs below. It’s the check the NHS relies on.

Why there’s no NHS skin cancer screening

Screening means checking everyone in an age group, whether or not they have symptoms, as the NHS does for breast and bowel cancer. Cancer Research UK explains that there’s no national screening programme for skin cancer in the UK because research hasn’t shown that the benefits of checking everyone would outweigh the risks, such as removing lots of harmless moles.

Instead, the NHS relies on people noticing a new or changing mole and seeing their GP. So when people search for skin cancer screening in Glasgow, what’s actually on offer is a check of a mole you’re worried about, either on the NHS through your GP or privately.

How to check your moles: the ABCDE signs

The NHS and Cancer Research UK both use the ABCDE checklist to help you spot a mole that needs looking at:

• A for asymmetry: the two halves of the mole look different from each other.
• B for border: the edge is ragged, notched or blurred rather than smooth.
• C for colour: it has more than one colour, or uneven shades of brown, black, pink, red or grey.
• D for diameter: it’s wider than about 6mm, the width of a pencil end. Melanomas can be smaller, so don’t ignore a small mole that ticks the other boxes.
• E for evolving: it’s changing in size, shape, colour or height, or has started to itch, bleed or crust.

Also look out for the “ugly duckling”, a mole that looks different from all your others. Cancer Research UK says it’s worth getting checked even if it has none of the ABCDE signs.

How to check your skin at home

1. Once a month, in good light. Use a full-length mirror and a hand mirror.
2. Check everywhere. Include your scalp, behind your ears, your back, the soles of your feet, between your toes and under your nails. Ask someone to look at the places you can’t see.
3. Photograph any mole you’re watching. Put a ruler or coin beside it, so you can compare it properly next month.
4. On brown or black skin, look closely at your palms, soles and nails. Melanoma can be harder to spot on darker skin, and it’s more often found in these less sun-exposed places.

Your options in Glasgow compared

What happens at a mole check at Carmunnock Pharmacy

Our mole and skin check uses dermoscopy, the same magnified, lit imaging that dermatology clinics use, so a specialist can see detail in the mole that isn’t visible to the naked eye.

1. Come in, or book a time. You don’t need a GP referral. You can book a 20 minute mole and skin check so you know there’s no wait.
2. We photograph the mole. A member of the pharmacy team takes a magnified photo with a professional dermatoscope and notes a short history, such as how long you’ve had it and whether it has changed.
3. A consultant dermatologist reviews it. Your photo and history go securely to a UK consultant dermatologist, who sends back a report, usually within 48 hours, with reassurance, advice to keep an eye on it, or a recommended next step.

This is a photo-based triage and reassurance service. It isn’t a physical examination, a biopsy or a diagnosis, and it doesn’t replace your GP or the NHS urgent referral route. If the dermatologist has any concern, you’ll be told clearly what to do next, which may include an urgent referral through your GP.

Is a full body mole check worth it?

For most people with a handful of ordinary moles, a monthly self check and getting any changing mole looked at is enough. That’s the approach NHS guidance is built on.

A full body check or mole mapping at a dermatology clinic makes more sense if you:

• Have a lot of moles, or several unusual-looking ones
• Have had melanoma before
• Have a parent, brother or sister who has had melanoma
• Have very fair skin that burns easily, or a history of bad sunburn or sunbed use

Even then, you don’t have to wait for a full body appointment to get one particular mole checked. A pharmacy mole check can give you a dermatologist’s view on that mole within a couple of days.

Can I get a mole removed in Glasgow?

The NHS doesn’t usually remove harmless moles for cosmetic reasons. If a doctor thinks a mole could be skin cancer, it’s removed and tested on the NHS. Removing a harmless mole for cosmetic reasons means going to a private clinic.

Carmunnock Pharmacy doesn’t remove moles. A check first is still worthwhile, as it tells you whether the mole needs medical attention before you think about cosmetic removal.

Skin cancer screening FAQs