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Melanoma is a type of skin cancer and is the fifth most common type of cancer in the UK1. With May being Skin Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a timely reminder of why regularly checking our skin and moles is so important.
Any new moles or marks, or changes to existing ones, could be a sign of melanoma. The good news is that survival rates are high when melanoma is identified and treated early2.
What are some of the main risk factors?
While anyone can develop melanoma, certain factors can increase the risk, including:
- Age – risk increases as we get older, although melanoma is also relatively common in younger people.3
- Ultraviolet (UV) exposure – from the sun or sunbeds; around 85% of melanomas in the UK are linked to UV exposure.3
- Skin type – fair skin that burns easily, especially with fair or red hair and freckles.3
- Number and size of moles – having 100 or more moles, or larger or unusually shaped moles.3
- Family history – having a close relative who has had melanoma.3
- Other medical conditions – including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or a weakened immune system can increase the risk.3
Regular checks can be important in spotting changes in moles or lesions on the skin early. Bupa has created guidance on how to check your moles for signs of skin cancer to help support customers.
Faster, smarter mole and lesion checks with AI
Bupa is upgrading its remote skin assessment service to include DERM, a clinically approved AI tool that assesses moles and lesions. This makes Bupa the first insurer in the UK to offer this type of AI-enabled skin assessment to customers.
Through our partnership with Skin Analytics, AI technology is helping to make mole and lesion checks quicker and easier:
- Fast results – DERM reviews images and clinical history and assesses risk in minutes.
- Highly accurate – 98% accuracy across all skin cancers.4
- Convenient – customers can get results without leaving their home.
Customers receive a kit sent to their chosen address, including a smartphone and dermoscopy lens (magnifying tool), allowing them to take high-quality images for assessment. AI does not replace Bupa clinicians – customers can still choose to have images reviewed by a dermatologist and speak with a specialist GP to discuss results and next steps if needed.
If AI is unable to make a decision, the case will be referred to a Skin Analytics dermatologist for review.
If you’d like more information about Bupa’s upgraded remote skin assessment service, please contact your Bupa account manager.
To read more articles from Bupa, visit our content hub on Health & Protection – here.
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1 Melanoma and beyond: A guide to skin cancer awareness and prevention. British Skin Foundation. britishskinfoundation.org. Last updated 23 April 2026. https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/resources/melanoma-and-beyond-a-guide-to-skin-cancer-awareness-and-prevention
2 Melanoma and beyond: A guide to skin cancer awareness and prevention. British Skin Foundation. britishskinfoundation.org. Last updated 23 April 2026. https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/resources/melanoma-and-beyond-a-guide-to-skin-cancer-awareness-and-prevention
3 Risks and causes of melanoma skin cancer. Cancer Research UK. cancerresarchuk.org. Last reviewed 02 Jan 2025. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/melanoma/risks-causes
4 Summary of Skin Analytics AI performance since December 2023 up to Q3 2025 Post Market Surveillance Reports, with analysis based on 65,464 lesion outcomes. Source: Skin Analytics (2026)