Check a mole

Upload a clear, well-lit photo of the mole you're unsure about. DermaScan looks for patterns dermatologists check for — it takes a few seconds.

120+
training images
80%
test accuracy
3
risk tiers
Not a diagnosis Trained on real dermoscopic images Analyzed in your browser

Uploaded mole photo
0%
—
— % CONFIDENCE
Benign —% Malignant —%

How this is calculated. Based on your model's malignant probability: 60%+ triggers "see a dermatologist," 36–59% is "uncertain," and 35% or under is "low concern." The bar to say "low concern" is intentionally higher than the bar to flag a check, since missing a warning sign matters more than an unnecessary one. This model was trained to compare mole patterns specifically, so it only gives a meaningful result for an actual photo of a mole.

The ABCDE rule

Melanoma is the most serious and dangerous form of skin cancer. It forms in melanocytes, the same cells that give your skin its color, and it's most common on skin that gets a lot of sun exposure. Catching it early matters, because it lowers the chance of it spreading to other parts of the body and keeps it highly treatable, which improves survival rates.

Dermatologists use the ABCDE rule as a simple way to check a mole for warning signs. Here's what each letter means.

Key terms
Benign
Not cancerous. The mole doesn't contain cancer cells and isn't a health threat, though it's still worth keeping an eye on for changes over time.
Malignant
Cancerous. The mole contains cancer cells and needs medical attention, ideally from a dermatologist as soon as possible.
A
Asymmetry
One half of the mole doesn't match the other half. If you draw an imaginary line through the middle, most melanomas won't look the same on both sides, while a normal mole usually does.
B
Border
The edges are irregular, notched, or poorly defined, instead of smooth. Normal moles usually have a clean, even border.
C
Color
The mole has more than one color, like different shades of tan, brown, or black, or patches of white, red, or blue. Some melanomas can even appear colorless, so any mole that looks different from your others is worth checking.
D
Diameter
The mole is around 6mm or larger, roughly the size of a pencil eraser. Melanoma is often this size or bigger by the time it's found, though it can sometimes be smaller when caught early.
E
Evolving
The mole is changing, in size, shape, color, or elevation, or it has a new symptom like bleeding or irritation. Any mole that looks different from how it used to look is worth a second look.

AI isn't a replacement for a dermatologist's judgment, and DermaScan doesn't make a diagnosis. But many doctors already treat AI as a second set of eyes, trained on thousands of images to help flag patterns a person might miss. That's the idea behind this tool: helping you recognize when a mole is worth showing to a dermatologist, sooner rather than later.