Patient guide · 5 min read
What to check before a dermatology visit or mole check
“Dermatology”, “skin clinic” and “mole check” are used loosely in private practice, and the person reviewing your skin is not always a dermatologist. When something on your skin is changing, who looks at it matters. Here is what to check.
General information, not medical advice. Unmist does not assess your individual case or recommend any clinic or treatment. For a personal health concern, speak to a qualified professional or, if it is urgent, your GP or NHS 111.
Section 01
Is the clinician a registered doctor — and a dermatologist
A consultant dermatologist is a doctor on the GMC register (gmc-uk.org) and on the GMC Specialist Register in Dermatology. Many “skin clinics” are staffed by practitioners who are not dermatologists — fine for some cosmetic concerns, but a different thing from specialist assessment of a changing mole or lesion.
Confirm the name of the person who will actually examine your skin, and check their registration and specialty yourself.
Section 02
Mole checks: who reads them, and how
For a mole or skin-cancer check, ask who reviews the images or examines you, whether dermoscopy is used, and what happens if something suspicious is found — specifically, whether the clinic can arrange biopsy and onward care. A photo-only service with no clear pathway to a specialist is a limited check.
If a mole is new, changing, bleeding or otherwise concerning, this is not a cosmetic question — it is a medical one.
Section 03
Removals are minor surgery
Mole, skin-tag, cyst and lesion removals are minor surgical procedures. Ask whether anything removed will be sent for histology (laboratory analysis) — for moles especially, removing without analysis can miss important information. Ask who performs the removal and their registration.
Be cautious of cosmetic-only removal of a mole that has not first been assessed by someone qualified to judge whether it should be analysed.
Section 04
When to use the NHS instead
If you have a genuinely worrying skin change, your NHS GP can refer you on the urgent suspected-cancer pathway at no cost — often the right route regardless of any private option. Private dermatology is a reasonable choice for access and convenience, but cost should never deter you from getting a concerning lesion looked at.
Unmist shows, per clinic, the practitioners named on the clinic’s own website with links to their register, a link to the official CQC record where we have matched one, and the treatments the clinic lists — from the public record and the clinic’s own site. We show what is checkable and never give medical advice or recommend a clinic.
Frequently asked
Is a “skin clinic” the same as a dermatologist?
Not necessarily. A consultant dermatologist is a doctor on the GMC Specialist Register in Dermatology. Many skin clinics are staffed by non-dermatologists — confirm who will examine your skin and check their registration.
What should a mole check include?
Ask who examines you or reads the images, whether dermoscopy is used, and what the pathway is if something suspicious is found — including biopsy and onward care. A photo-only service with no specialist pathway is limited.
Should a removed mole be analysed?
Ask whether anything removed is sent for histology. For moles especially, removing without laboratory analysis can miss important information.
When should I use the NHS instead of a private clinic?
If you have a worrying skin change, an NHS GP can refer you on the urgent suspected-cancer pathway at no cost. Cost should never deter you from getting a concerning lesion assessed.
Unmist publishes facts from the public record and the clinic’s own website. We never rank or recommend clinics, never say “best”, and never give medical advice — this guide is here to help you check what is clearly shown before you book.
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