Dermoscopy

Dermoscopy (also known as dermatoscopy) is the examination of skin lesions with a tool called a dermatoscope. Dermoscopy is commonly used to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, such as nevi and melanoma. This procedure is noninvasive and painless. The dermatoscope resembles a magnifying glass with a polarized light (illumination system) attached to it. In some cases, a liquid medium may be dispensed in place of the polarized light to help reduce skin surface reflections. A dermoscopy also displays lesions by color (such as black, brown, red, blue, gray, yellow and white) and is proven to be an effective means of diagnosing and treating skin conditions, as well as tracking changes in conditions over time.