iPhone App "Skin Scan" Checks for Cancerous Moles

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by Fox Charlotte

Story Created: Jul 12, 2011 at 11:01 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jul 13, 2011 at 12:28 AM EDT

INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. - 37-year-old Jera Hartsell started going to the dermatologist for skin exams eight years ago.  She says, "I had a spot that came up on my back and I didn't know what it was."  Now, she gets checked on a yearly basis by her doctor.

Hartsell says she trusts her doctor more than she does Skin Scan, an iPhone app that bills itself as an easy way to scan moles in order to prevent skin cancer.  She says, "I don't think there's anything that can replace the knowledge and education that a physician has."

We downloaded the app, which sells for $4.99 and tried to analyze some moles.  It says it uses a mathematic algorithm to determine abnormal development.  Despite a strong Internet connection, the app wouldn't connect to the server, so we couldn't compare its analysis to Dermatology Care of Charlotte's Dr. Jim Seward's.

Seward likes the app because he says it raises skin cancer awareness, but he urges caution when using it.  He says, "Use it as a fun tool to look at your moles but do not use it as the medical opinion or advice that you need."

Catching a suspicious mole early can mean the difference between life or death.  Seward says people who live in the Charlotte area need to be even more aware of skin cancer.  "The further south you are, the more likely you're going to get a skin cancer, the more exposure you've had."

It's advice about moles former sun worshipers like Hartsell have taken to heart, but won't handle with her smart phone. She says, "I keep an eye on them with my eyes and yearly skin examinations." 

Dr. Seward recommends yearly skin exams.  If you're fair skinned, have lots of freckles or have had a lot of sunburns, he says you might need to be checked every six months.  

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