These “Selfies” Could Save Your Life
Skin cancer is a serious threat. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. This is a highly treatable disease, though. It just needs to be detected early.
The key is regular self-exams. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends monthly skin cancer self-exams, plus annual professional dermatologist exams.
Those self-exams can get a bit cumbersome. Logging everything by hand on a paper body map is a lot of work. Then there is the organizing and labeling of dozens of mole photos each month.
This is where your iPhone steps in.
Some very smart people have developed numerous iPhone apps that make skin cancer self-exams easy. These apps combine your phone’s camera, calendar, and notifications to log photos and set exam reminders.
5 iPhone Apps for Skin Cancer Self-Exams
Each app goes about helping with self-exams in different ways. They each have their own key features and pricing structure.
Mole Mapper Melanoma Study
This is a completely free app developed by the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). It allows you to map, measure, and monitor moles through photos taken with a coin for reference.
Unique to this app, you can submit your mole photos to researchers at OHSU. This means that your self-exams could benefit others, too.
Miiskin – Melanoma Skin Cancer
This highly popular app is also for monitoring changes in your skin and moles. There is a free version with limited close-up photo mole logging. For $24.99 a year, Premium subscribers get unlimited close-up logging, and the ability to photo journal large areas of skin.
HealthAI – Skin Cancer
As the name implies this app incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) to access photos of moles. While not to be used for diagnosis, the AI evaluation can help you know when to consult a professional dermatologist. HealthAI can even use Apple Health to send your mole photos to your doctor.
MoleScope™
MoleScope takes iPhone skin cancer self-exams to the next level with their own hardware. The MoleScope is a magnifier that attaches to your phone for better quality mole photos. Their app is made to work exclusively with that $299 device.
Scanoma – Mole Check
Scanoma is a skin health screening service. Their app is an extension of those diagnostic services. The app evaluates your mole photos to calculate skin cancer risk. A second opinion from a professional dermatologist is just a click and $15.99 away.
99% of all skin cancer cases are curable if caught and treated early. That requires monthly self-exams. These apps make those exams so easy, you will actually do them.
