Wellness

[goodstuff]

On 8/20/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

Oh, puh-leeeeeze! I'm all for health, but this idea is obsessive-compulsive to the extreme.

Good Stuff, have you had skin cancer?

More people die from skin cancer than all the top 5 cancer, including breast cancer, combined. If this saves someone, it's worth this "extreme" app. Plus, younger and tech savvy would be more inclined to use this.

Yes, I have. An early melanoma, in fact, about 25 years ago. And I rely on my dermatologist, not my phone, for screenings. Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare.

[F1wild]

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/20/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

Oh, puh-leeeeeze! I'm all for health, but this idea is obsessive-compulsive to the extreme.

Good Stuff, have you had skin cancer?

More people die from skin cancer than all the top 5 cancer, including breast cancer, combined. If this saves someone, it's worth this "extreme" app. Plus, younger and tech savvy would be more inclined to use this.

Yes, I have. An early melanoma, in fact, about 25 years ago. And I rely on my dermatologist, not my phone, for screenings. Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare.

I'm happy you survived Melanoma!

I do, however, respectfully disagree with your opinion. I would think you would be in favor of any means possible for someone to have a tool to help them. There are so many who avoid doctors, dermatologists, etc. because of fear, access to care, lack of insurance or finances. I'm not sure why you would speak out against this. If you are not in favor then don't download.

"Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare."

I seriously doubt the app is meant for this purpose. Smart phones are used for much more than "selfies" these days.

[Penellope]

Go to the dermatologist. Watching and waiting for a suspicious mole to change is a bad idea. If you think it needs that degree of attention, have it checked by a professional.

[dooBdoo]

Obviously, there are pros and cons to this. After seeing so many who rely on the internet for their medical advice, I do worry about those who will lean a bit too much on an app instead of having proper checks by an oncologist or dermatologist. I'm afraid those who avoid doctors would continue to do so, perhaps even more so if they had a false sense of security from a mobile app.

However, I'm glad it's up for discussion, because awareness and education about preventative steps are key to better health.

In doing some quick searches, it appears several of these apps have been launched in the past few years. Some are free, some are still in development. Here's a little interesting reading from the medical community on the topic (plenty more on the net if you do some searches):

Skin Doctors Question Accuracy Of Apps For Cancer Risk

NPR, 1/16/13 - link goes to: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/01/16/169524178/skin-doctors-question-accuracy-of-apps-for-canc...

and

University of Houston professor develops app to detect skin cancer

MobiHealthNews, 5/14/14 - link goes to: http://mobihealthnews.com/33116/university-of-houston-professor-develops-app-to-detect-skin-cancer/

[goodstuff]

On 8/21/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/20/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

Oh, puh-leeeeeze! I'm all for health, but this idea is obsessive-compulsive to the extreme.

Good Stuff, have you had skin cancer?

More people die from skin cancer than all the top 5 cancer, including breast cancer, combined. If this saves someone, it's worth this "extreme" app. Plus, younger and tech savvy would be more inclined to use this.

Yes, I have. An early melanoma, in fact, about 25 years ago. And I rely on my dermatologist, not my phone, for screenings. Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare.

I'm happy you survived Melanoma!

I do, however, respectfully disagree with your opinion. I would think you would be in favor of any means possible for someone to have a tool to help them. There are so many who avoid doctors, dermatologists, etc. because of fear, access to care, lack of insurance or finances. I'm not sure why you would speak out against this. If you are not in favor then don't download.

"Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare."

I seriously doubt the app is meant for this purpose. Smart phones are used for much more than "selfies" these days.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and we are both entitled to be a part of this discussion. I don't see the need for a "phone app" to track mole changes. I see obsessive cell phone use rampant around me (constant taking of "selfies", conversations in restaurants, theaters, and other venues where it is inconsiderate, ignoring mates, children, and other companions to focus on one's phone, addiction to phone games, etc.), and I imagine this "mole app" to be one more avenue to obsession and misuse. I'm also a retired medical assistant and know how many people are chronically, unreasonably anxious about their own health. Marrying phone obsession to health obsession strikes me as a wide road to OCD misery. If you see your dermatologist regularly and are reasonably aware of your own skin, that should be sufficient.

[esmeraldagooch]

On 8/22/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/21/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/20/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

Oh, puh-leeeeeze! I'm all for health, but this idea is obsessive-compulsive to the extreme.

Good Stuff, have you had skin cancer?

More people die from skin cancer than all the top 5 cancer, including breast cancer, combined. If this saves someone, it's worth this "extreme" app. Plus, younger and tech savvy would be more inclined to use this.

Yes, I have. An early melanoma, in fact, about 25 years ago. And I rely on my dermatologist, not my phone, for screenings. Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare.

I'm happy you survived Melanoma!

I do, however, respectfully disagree with your opinion. I would think you would be in favor of any means possible for someone to have a tool to help them. There are so many who avoid doctors, dermatologists, etc. because of fear, access to care, lack of insurance or finances. I'm not sure why you would speak out against this. If you are not in favor then don't download.

"Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare."

I seriously doubt the app is meant for this purpose. Smart phones are used for much more than "selfies" these days.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and we are both entitled to be a part of this discussion. I don't see the need for a "phone app" to track mole changes. I see obsessive cell phone use rampant around me (constant taking of "selfies", conversations in restaurants, theaters, and other venues where it is inconsiderate, ignoring mates, children, and other companions to focus on one's phone, addiction to phone games, etc.), and I imagine this "mole app" to be one more avenue to obsession and misuse. I'm also a retired medical assistant and know how many people are chronically, unreasonably anxious about their own health. Marrying phone obsession to health obsession strikes me as a wide road to OCD misery. If you see your dermatologist regularly and are reasonably aware of your own skin, that should be sufficient.

WOW! Who would have thought a phone app to track moles would cause all this?

I too am a melanoma survivor. I seem to grow an abnormal amount of dysplastic Nervi. My doctor couldn't remove all my moles so he had a medical photographer take photos of every 6 inches of my whole body and made a photo album for me to keep for a reference so he could track changes at my 6 month checkups.

That was in 1991. Now many of them have been removed and new moles have appeared. The app to me made sense since paying for more photos are not in the cards now. Plus it was very embarrassing for me and my best friend who had to be there to help the photographer. She and I still laugh about that experience.

No one said this was to take place of a doctor visit, but not everyone has the money for a dermatologist and most doctors are not good at diagnosing melanoma skin cancer.

[F1wild]

On 8/22/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/21/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/20/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

Oh, puh-leeeeeze! I'm all for health, but this idea is obsessive-compulsive to the extreme.

Good Stuff, have you had skin cancer?

More people die from skin cancer than all the top 5 cancer, including breast cancer, combined. If this saves someone, it's worth this "extreme" app. Plus, younger and tech savvy would be more inclined to use this.

Yes, I have. An early melanoma, in fact, about 25 years ago. And I rely on my dermatologist, not my phone, for screenings. Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare.

I'm happy you survived Melanoma!

I do, however, respectfully disagree with your opinion. I would think you would be in favor of any means possible for someone to have a tool to help them. There are so many who avoid doctors, dermatologists, etc. because of fear, access to care, lack of insurance or finances. I'm not sure why you would speak out against this. If you are not in favor then don't download.

"Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare."

I seriously doubt the app is meant for this purpose. Smart phones are used for much more than "selfies" these days.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and we are both entitled to be a part of this discussion. I don't see the need for a "phone app" to track mole changes. I see obsessive cell phone use rampant around me (constant taking of "selfies", conversations in restaurants, theaters, and other venues where it is inconsiderate, ignoring mates, children, and other companions to focus on one's phone, addiction to phone games, etc.), and I imagine this "mole app" to be one more avenue to obsession and misuse. I'm also a retired medical assistant and know how many people are chronically, unreasonably anxious about their own health. Marrying phone obsession to health obsession strikes me as a wide road to OCD misery. If you see your dermatologist regularly and are reasonably aware of your own skin, that should be sufficient.

I do agree that some are "selfie" obsessed. In fact, I've grown so tired of a few FB friends who feel it's a necessity to post selfies multiple times daily. I look forward to the few actual interesting things posted, like searching for buried treasure.

I guess I've worked in public health so much that I'm always looking for new ways to help out those not privy to regular specialist care. I envision someone noticing something suspicious (on their own), taking a pic of it, using the app. If the app says it's possible skin cancer then it becomes a bit of evidence when the patient sees their PCP, who may have otherwise brushed it off. Now, they may fast-track the patient to a dermatologist.

[F1wild]

On 8/22/2014 esmeraldagooch said:

On 8/22/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/21/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

On 8/20/2014 F1wild said:

On 8/20/2014 GoodStuff said:

Oh, puh-leeeeeze! I'm all for health, but this idea is obsessive-compulsive to the extreme.

Good Stuff, have you had skin cancer?

More people die from skin cancer than all the top 5 cancer, including breast cancer, combined. If this saves someone, it's worth this "extreme" app. Plus, younger and tech savvy would be more inclined to use this.

Yes, I have. An early melanoma, in fact, about 25 years ago. And I rely on my dermatologist, not my phone, for screenings. Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare.

I'm happy you survived Melanoma!

I do, however, respectfully disagree with your opinion. I would think you would be in favor of any means possible for someone to have a tool to help them. There are so many who avoid doctors, dermatologists, etc. because of fear, access to care, lack of insurance or finances. I'm not sure why you would speak out against this. If you are not in favor then don't download.

"Nobody needs to be doing skin check "selfies" every 15 minutes. This is a hypochondriac's nightmare."

I seriously doubt the app is meant for this purpose. Smart phones are used for much more than "selfies" these days.

You are certainly entitled to your opinion, and we are both entitled to be a part of this discussion. I don't see the need for a "phone app" to track mole changes. I see obsessive cell phone use rampant around me (constant taking of "selfies", conversations in restaurants, theaters, and other venues where it is inconsiderate, ignoring mates, children, and other companions to focus on one's phone, addiction to phone games, etc.), and I imagine this "mole app" to be one more avenue to obsession and misuse. I'm also a retired medical assistant and know how many people are chronically, unreasonably anxious about their own health. Marrying phone obsession to health obsession strikes me as a wide road to OCD misery. If you see your dermatologist regularly and are reasonably aware of your own skin, that should be sufficient.

WOW! Who would have thought a phone app to track moles would cause all this?

I too am a melanoma survivor. I seem to grow an abnormal amount of dysplastic Nervi. My doctor couldn't remove all my moles so he had a medical photographer take photos of every 6 inches of my whole body and made a photo album for me to keep for a reference so he could track changes at my 6 month checkups.

That was in 1991. Now many of them have been removed and new moles have appeared. The app to me made sense since paying for more photos are not in the cards now. Plus it was very embarrassing for me and my best friend who had to be there to help the photographer. She and I still laugh about that experience.

No one said this was to take place of a doctor visit, but not everyone has the money for a dermatologist and most doctors are not good at diagnosing melanoma skin cancer.

Esmeraldagooch ~ yeah for your survivorship!! Wow, '91!

I also had these photos taken after my first diagnosis. The photographer wasn't in derm dept. so, the lovely photo series was embarrassing for both of us. Thank goodness for the derm assistant! Time goes by, you forget the ordeal.....then a lovely package envelop arrives, discretely wrapped. "Ooh, a giftie for me!" Then I open it to find an album of pictures of every inch of my body, in living color. After the initial shock was over, I did kinda play the "Where's Waldo" in reverse with the pics. More of a "What's That?"

[Moonchilde]

The possibility exists to misuse anything - and I mean anything. The OCD are among us. But something like this app is not going to suddenly great a huge number of ravening hypochondriacs. One good use, off the top of my head, is taking photos of places on your body that you don't see well with your own eyes, or having a friend or family member do same. Not everyone runs off to "their" dermatologist for a yearly head-to-toe, either because they aren't even aware of the concept because they are young, or because for various (possibly financial, possibly social/familial reasons, this is just not a part of their routine health plan). "It should be" is as much a helpful response to that as the ubiquitous "change the channel & don't watch then" on these forums. Phobias regarding and personal dislikes of social media and smartphones have nothing to do with this thread about such apps. BTW, although I have never had a melanoma or a squamous cell carcinoma, you could say I work with and for sufferers and survivors every day in my job. Melanoma is no joke, it is far more deadly than people realize, and can come back and bite you in a very bad way if you don't stay on top of it.

[goodstuff]

Wow! I sure hope my derm doesn't have naked shots on file!! Heaven forbid!!

I think this phone app would most likely be over-used by people who are overly anxious about developing skin cancer. I have a family member, for example, who makes an appt. with his derm even if he has the tiniest, most insignificant spot or bump on his skin......and even if he saw the derm just weeks before. Totally unnecessary. He, like many others, is just overly scared, and a phone app like this would probably drive him crazy! He needs to see his derm every year for a regular check, and he will almost certainly be fine -- as will others.

People who don't bother to see their derms regularly or watch their skin certainly won't bother with the phone app.

I'm not angry about it or ridiculing the idea -- and if you're one of the people who would find this useful, that's fine. I just don't see it as really helpful to many -- and it might be a problem to quite a few. Just another tech-y gimmick, if you like to play with those.