In a 48-year-old woman, on the back
What to see at dermoscopy:
-arborizing and fine telangectasias
-blue-gray ovoid nests
-blue-gray globules
-blue-white veil
-corona
Excision was indicated
Dermoscopy in favor of Pigmented basal cell carcinoma. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis.
Comments: the differential diagnosis of this lesion includes nodular melanoma
In a 56-year-old woman, on the jaw-line
What to see at dermoscopy:
-pseudonetwork
-asymmetric pigmentation of follicular openings (rhomboidal structures)
-annular-granular patern
Biopsy at the pigmented area was indicated
Histopathological correlation: melanoma in situ
In a 42-year-old woman, on the lower lip
What to see at dermoscopy:
-light brown globular structures following a parallel pattern (finguerprint-like structures)
-curvilinear streaks, with color variation from light dark brown
-blue-white veil
Biopsy was suggested
Histopathological correlation: melanotic labial macule
Comments: melanotic macules (or melanoses) are nonmelanocytic entities; they are not considered preneoplastic lesions and when followed over a long period,
they remain stable and unchanged. Despite their benign behavior, the clinical appearance of melanosis can share some features with malignat melanoma.
In a 35-year-old man, on the neck (intense photodamaged skin)
What to see at dermoscopy:
- asymmetry of color and shape
- multicomponent pattern
- pigment network and globules
- negative network
- blotches
-chrysalis structures
-milia-like cysts
Extirpation was suggested
Histopathological correlation: compound nevi
Comments: the presence of negative network is often seen in melanoma but is an infrequent dermoscopic finding in benign lesions (Spitz and congenital nevi) where it is usually symmetric and central.
In a 35-year-old man, on the scalp
What to see at dermoscopy
-hair diameter diversity
-brown halo at the follicular ostium around the emergent hair shaft
-focal atrichia (empty follicles)
Dermoscopy in favor of androgenetic alopecia
Comments: androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common form of hair loss (80 and 50% of men and women, respectively). Hair thinning is limited to the frontal, temporal, and vertex areas (androgen-dependent scalp regions) and dermoscopy is usefull to detect early AGA and for differential diagnosis with telogen effluvium.