Dermatoscopy – A Method for Examining the Surface of the Skin

Dermatoscopy is a surface-level skin examination method using a special device called a dermatoscope, which allows for microscopic evaluation of the skin. This method is both informative and easy to apply in daily clinical practice.

Most commonly, various skin lesions are examined under the dermatoscope. The following aspects of a lesion are evaluated:

structure (symmetry, uniformity)
color
pigmentation
the arrangement of blood vessels
border characteristics (smoothness, color variation)
other changes such as ulceration

Suspicious features for skin cancer may include:

irregular structure
uneven color
uneven pigmentation, visible changes in pigment tone
dense or irregularly shaped blood vessel networks
irregular, multi-colored borders
visible ulceration or bleeding in the lesion

Using dermatoscopy, it is possible to detect or suspect:

melanoma
basal cell carcinoma
various types of moles
seborrheic keratosis
hemangioma

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Other uses of dermatoscopy:

to determine the type of hair loss (trichoscopy) by examining hair and surrounding scalp
to assess non-pigmented lesions
to diagnose scabies
for differential diagnosis between chronic inflammatory skin diseases, such as:
- psoriasis
- eczema
- lichen planus
to examine capillaries in the nail bed
to locate small embedded foreign bodies, such as splinters