3D body and mole mapping, coming to Huntingdon & Peterborough?
Acorn Pharmacy is exploring a 3D body and mole mapping service: your skin photographed and mapped, your moles matched against your own baseline at every review, and any change tracked over time. It isn't running yet — we want to know how many of you would use it. We expect it to cost between £200 and £300, with the final price confirmed at launch.
A 3D mapping service is a real investment in kit, space and clinical time. The number of people who register their interest is what tells us whether it's worth setting up in Huntingdon and Peterborough.
The interest list is contacted before we advertise anywhere else, so you get the first choice of appointment times when we open.
What you tell us helps decide how long appointments should be, how often people want a review, and what a fair price looks like.
What mole mapping and body mapping are
What is mole mapping?
Mole mapping is a photographic record of the moles on your skin. Your skin is photographed and each mole is recorded in position, so your clinician works from a baseline rather than a memory. At review, today's images are matched mole by mole against that baseline and anything that has changed is flagged. A dermatoscope is used for a magnified close-up on selected moles that need a closer look — not on every single one.
- Every mole recorded in position, so nothing is judged from memory
- Today's images matched mole by mole against your own baseline
- Change over time tracked, not just how a mole looks today
- A magnified close-up when a mole needs one
What is body mapping?
Body mapping takes that record across the whole body. You stand in front of a camera rig and a quick, contactless set of images builds a precise digital map of your skin — including your back, shoulders and scalp areas you can't check yourself. Nothing touches you, there's no radiation, and it usually takes only a few minutes.
- Whole-body coverage, including hard-to-see areas
- Contactless and painless — no needles, no radiation
- A consistent, repeatable image every visit
- Builds an accurate picture of how your skin changes
Mapping, matching, evolution tracking
Those three words are the service. A magnified close-up is only ever part of it, and only on selected moles — the real value is in comparing each mole against itself over time.
Standardised photographs record your skin and exactly where each mole sits. That becomes your baseline — the reference point every later visit is judged against.
At your next visit the new images are lined up against the baseline mole by mole, so the same mole is always compared with itself rather than with a recollection.
Matched moles are then compared over time. A mole that is new, growing, or changing in shape or colour is exactly what the comparison is there to catch early.
A few minutes now, a record you keep.
Here's the shape of a typical mapping appointment. We'd confirm the exact equipment, timings and clinical partner before launch — and tell everyone on the interest list first.
Register your interest- 1Reserve a slot
Once the service is live you'd book a time at the Oak Tree Centre. Your first visit is the longest, because it sets your baseline.
- 2Mapping: full-body photographs
A set of standard full-body images is taken. It's quick, contactless and painless — you'd stay in your underwear with a gown or drape for modesty.
- 3Close-ups where they're needed
A dermatoscope gives a magnified image of selected moles that need a closer look. Most moles are simply recorded in position — not every lesion gets a close-up.
- 4Your record is stored securely
The images become your personal skin baseline, held securely with your consent, alongside a short questionnaire about your history and family history.
- 5Matching and evolution tracking
At review, fresh images are matched to your baseline mole by mole and compared for change over time. A clinician reads that comparison and you get the result in writing.
Who would get most from skin mapping?
Twenty or more moles across the body — the more you have, the harder any single change is to spot alone.
A close relative who has had melanoma or other skin cancer puts you in a group worth keeping an eye on.
You've had a mole removed, biopsied or kept under watch before.
Your back, shoulders and scalp are where moles hide and where a mirror can't help.
Skin that burns rather than tans, or a history of bad sunburn, especially in childhood.
A documented baseline beats trying to remember what a mole looked like a year ago.
You don't need to fit any of these to benefit — anyone who wants a proper record of their skin can.
Let's be straight with you
This is a future service we're testing the appetite for, not something you can book today:
- The service isn't available yet — we're measuring interest before we commit to it.
- No appointment or start date is confirmed, and registering interest doesn't reserve one.
- A mapping service records and reviews your skin; it doesn't diagnose anything in the pharmacy.
- If something worrying showed up, you'd be advised to see your GP — mapping never replaces that.
- It would be a private, self-pay service rather than an NHS one. We expect it to cost between £200 and £300, with the final price confirmed at launch.
Registering interest takes a minute
The form asks only for the basics we need to keep you posted — your name, email and anything you'd like us to know about your skin. No payment, no booking, and you can ask us to remove you at any time.
Register your interest- Used only to tell you when the service is confirmed
- Never sold or shared with anyone else
- No health records are created by registering interest
- Ask us to delete it and we will
Common questions
Is 3D body and mole mapping available now?
Not yet. We're building interest first, because a mapping service only makes sense if enough people in Huntingdon and Peterborough would actually use it. Register your interest and we'll contact you as soon as it's confirmed.
What does registering my interest actually do?
It adds you to our interest list through a short form. We use it to decide whether to bring the service in, and to tell you before we advertise it anywhere. It doesn't book an appointment, take payment, or commit you to anything.
How much would it cost?
We expect 3D body and mole mapping to cost between £200 and £300, with the final price confirmed when the service launches. You wouldn't pay anything or commit to anything by registering interest.
Does every mole get photographed with a dermatoscope?
No. The full-body images map your skin and record where each mole sits, and a dermatoscope close-up is taken of selected moles that need a closer look — not of every lesion. What matters is that each mole is matched to its own earlier image and tracked for change over time.
What's the difference between mapping, matching and evolution tracking?
Mapping is the photographic record of your skin and where your moles are. Matching lines today's images up against that record mole by mole, so the same mole is always compared with itself. Evolution tracking is the comparison over time — a mole that is new or changing is what the whole process is designed to catch.
Does it hurt, or is it safe?
It's painless and contactless. The imaging is photographic — no needles and no radiation — and takes only a few minutes.
Will my images be stored, and who sees them?
In a mapping service your images become your personal baseline and are kept securely with your consent. Before we launch we'll confirm exactly who hosts them, who can view them, and how long they're kept — and you'd be told that before you agreed to anything.
Do I need a GP referral?
No. Pharmacy private services don't need a referral, and we'd run it the same way.
What happens if something worrying is found?
You'd be told clearly in writing and advised on the next step — usually seeing your GP. A mapping service records and reviews your skin; it doesn't diagnose in the pharmacy.
How often would I need it?
Most people would review every 6 to 12 months, or sooner if a mole changes. We'd advise you on a sensible interval for your own skin.
I've already used Map My Mole — do I need this too?
They're different jobs. Map My Mole looks at one worrying mole now and gets it reviewed by a dermatologist within 48 hours. Mapping keeps a record of all your moles over time so changes get noticed early.
Skin checks you can book today
Mole Check (Map My Mole)
Have a worrying mole reviewed by a UK consultant dermatologist within 48 hours.
Learn more about mole check (map my mole)Advanced Clinical Pharmacist Consultation
A longer, private appointment with Hassan Walji for skin, health and medication concerns.
Learn more about advanced clinical pharmacist consultationWould you use it? Tell us.
Register your interest and you'll be the first to hear when 3D body and mole mapping comes to Huntingdon and Peterborough.