What is dermatoscopy and why is it done

What is dermatoscopy

Dermatoscopy is a method of non-contact examination of pigmentary changes in human skin through a magnifying lens. With the help of the procedure, doctors evaluateDermoscopy / Medscape the color and structure of the skin, and also determine if there are signs of dangerous diseases.

When a dermatoscopy is done

Most often it is usedDermoscopy / Medscape for the diagnosis of a special skin cancer - melanoma. But any person who has noticed strange spots on the body, growing or changing color of moles can go to a dermatologist.

What methods are used for dermatoscopy

The procedure is painless and leaves no residue.

The skin is lubricated with oil or alcohol to reduce its ability to reflect rays and make the upper stratum corneum more transparent.

The type of dermatoscopy depends onDermoscopy / Medscape on which magnifying lenses are used:

• Dermatoscope. This is a small device on a handle with illumination and lenses that give a 10x magnification.
instagram viewer
• Stereomicroscope. It is more complex and cumbersome and is placed on a stand. In this case, the lenses will be magnified 6–80 times. This technique is rarely used, but the image shows better.
• Videodermatoscope. The device is somewhat reminiscent of an ultrasound machine. The doctor presses a video probe with a video camera at the end to the skin, and the image is then transmitted to the monitor. On the one hand, this method helps to better study the distribution of pigment, cysts, but on the other hand, the examination of the vessels worsens due to pressure on them.

What characteristics of the skin are paid attention to

The doctor evaluatesDermoscopy / DermNet New Zealand Trust her on the following points:

• Symmetry or asymmetry.
• Uniform or heterogeneous structure.
• Distribution and shape of the pigment. It can be in the form of dots, brown lines, lumps, there are areas free from it.
• The type of vessels and their structure.
• The border of healthy and affected skin. Blurred, crisp or radially streaked.
• The presence of ulcers.

What is diagnosed with dermatoscopy

Here is a listDermoscopy / DermNet New Zealand Trust:

• Melanoma.
• Mole, or benign melanocytic nevus.
• Freckles.
• Atypical nevus.
• Blue nevus.
• Seborrheic keratosis, a benign pigmented lesion.
• Pigmented basalioma, a form of skin cancer.
• Hemangioma, a benign neoplasm from a cluster of small vessels.

And with the help of dermatoscopy, you can find a splinter, an itch mite and its moves. Some doctors do tests to distinguish lichen planus from eczema or psoriasis, evaluate hair loss, or examine nails and capillaries for systemic red lupus or scleroderma.