Barrister Imogen Hogan advocates for regular skin checks after beauty spot becomes a melanoma

The beauty spot on her face had been there since birth, and her mum told her it made her look as cool as Cindy Crawford, but when friends started commenting about its change in shape and colour, Imogen Hogan knew she needed the mole examined.

Just five months was the difference between having a beauty mark removed and a shock melanoma diagnosis for criminal barrister Imogen Hogan.

The beauty mark on her face had been there since birth, and her mum told her it made her look as cool as supermodel Cindy Crawford, but when friends started commenting about its change in shape and colour, Ms Hogan knew she needed the mole examined.

“When I looked front-on in a mirror, I couldn’t see it,” Ms Hogan said.

“It was only when I looked at photos and noticed it was getting bigger and darker, or someone brought it up to me.”

On February 13, she booked in for a skin check and was immediately told the mole needed to be removed.

Imogen Hogan had her ‘beauty mark’ removed after she was diagnosed with melanoma. Picture: Thomas Lisson

Three days later she received the news her beauty mark was in fact melanoma.

“They said it had unfortunately spread below the dermis and into the danger zone,” Ms Hogan said.

She was referred to the Melanoma Institute, and despite the shock news, immediately felt at ease due to the amount of support she received.

“When my doctor first said it’s melanoma, I didn’t realise that it was actually pretty serious,” she said.

“I quickly realised it can be pretty scary. But the silver lining with this is the Melanoma Institute is making these breakneck speed developments in research.”

This week she underwent surgery to biopsy her lymph node, to check whether the melanoma has spread.

Ms Hogan’s beauty mark has been removed. Picture: Murray Harris

During the anxious wait for her results, the 34-year-old is taking part in Sunday’s Melanoma March to raise vital funds for research, and to add their voices to calls to stop the glamorisation of tanning.

Australia has the highest melanoma rates in the world.

One person is diagnosed with melanoma every 30 minutes and one person dies from the disease every six hours.

It is the most common cancer affecting 20–39-year-old Australians.

Melanoma Institute Australia’s co-medical directors and 2024 Australians of the Year, Professor Georgina Long and Professor Richard Scolyer are taking part in the event, with Ms Hogan encouraging everyone to get their skin checked every 12 months.

“That five-month delay made a massive difference for me,” she said.

“It’s probably the difference between having a small thing cut out in the doctor’s surgery to the melanoma getting to that next layer of skin and more surgeries and treatment.”

To register or donate to Melanoma March, go to www.melanomamarch.org.au.