When we can’t accompany our loved ones to a doctor’s appointment, we can still think of creative ways to express our worries. Brinlee Miles, a woman from Utah, was concerned about her husband’s family history with skin cancer, so she sent her husband to a dermatologist.
To make sure that the doctor didn’t miss anything, she picked up a pen and circled the moles that looked suspicious to her. While some professionals might see it as a criticism of their abilities, this medic took it with humor and gave back the results in the same way—by noting on the man’s body whether the mole was good or needed to be taken for testing.
Her video went viral, collecting more than 11.2M views and 5.6K comments. Scroll down for the whole story and make sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Brinlee Miles created a video on TikTok about her husband’s journey to the dermatologist and the unique way he had his moles checked
Image credits: brinleemiles
"This is how I sent my husband to the dermatologist": the woman started off the video by showing how she circled the suspicious moles she wanted to be checked
Image credits: brinleemiles
Image credits: brinleemiles
Image credits: brinleemiles
"And this is how she sent him back": she wrote and displayed how the doctor left notes by each pen-marked mole on her husband, Ryan
Image credits: brinleemiles
Image credits: brinleemiles
Image credits: brinleemiles
Image credits: brinleemiles
You can watch the full video, which got over 11.2M views, right over here
When her husband, Ryan Miles, returned home, the 20-year-old woman filmed the moment he walked through the door, proudly holding a piece of paper. She documented how the doctor had written notes on his chest and back, right next to the moles she marked. It seems that out of the six moles that Brinlee circled, two were taken for testing and biopsy.
Later on, the couple posted another video with an update. So the results came back looking pretty good—while the mole on Ryan’s back shoulder is harmless, the one on his chest does have some cancerous cells. He will need to get it removed but fortunately, it’s not urgent.
Even though this video might seem cute and funny, the real reason behind it was to check whether the moles were abnormal—and skin cancer is no joke. About 5.4M basal and squamous cell skin cancers are diagnosed each year in about 3.3M Americans, as some people have more than one.
We reached out to Dr. Derrick Phillips, a consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson, to find out more about moles and what should people look for when examining them.
When asked if it’s common for people to have their moles circled before an appointment, he said that patients are usually referred to dermatologists with a particular mole or skin growth in mind.
“Those with lots of moles often take steps to allow easy identification of the mole or growth of concern prior to the appointment,” Phillips explained. “This includes taking close-up and zoomed out photographs with anatomical landmarks in the frame, and the more recent trend of circling moles/growths. These efforts are welcomed as they facilitate a more focused examination.”
Here’s another video where Brinlee and Ryan Miles posted an update about the results
Image credits: brinleemiles
According to the dermatologist, the number of moles a person has is influenced by genetics, skin color and sun exposure. They may be flat, elevated, light, dark or a combination of all the above.
He added: “It is important that you have a sense for the number and appearance of your moles to allow you to monitor for change accurately. Moles should be checked at least monthly and if there are any concerns, you should book an appointment with your GP at the earliest opportunity.”
“Moles are assessed to look for changes that could be suggestive of melanoma, a type of skin cancer that develops in new or existing moles.” So if you’re wondering what should you look for when examining your moles, Dr. Derrick Phillips suggested using the ABCDE approach:
- Asymmetry: both sides do not look the same
- Borders: jagged, irregular outline
- Colors: the mole has more than 1 color
- Diameter: more than 6mm (just short of 1/4 inch) in size
- Evolution: changes in size, shape, color or the mole is causing symptoms (itching or bleeding)
If you notice that your moles are displaying any worrying features, they should be reviewed by your GP or dermatologist at the earliest opportunity. Also, you can find more detailed information about mole checking right here.
The dermatologist explained that melanoma and other skin cancers occur due to damage to skin cells caused by UV exposure from the sun. “Taking appropriate precautions during sun exposure can greatly reduce the long-term risk of skin cancer,” he continued.
“These include: regular application of a high factor sunscreen (SPF 30+ with 5 star UVA protection), wearing appropriate clothing (e.g. wide-brimmed hats and caps) and staying in the shade between 11 AM and 3 PM on sunny days.”
Many TikTok users left a comment appreciating the woman’s efforts
