Dermoscopy

Dermatoscopy is a safe and non-traumatic method for diagnosing skin diseases. It allows assessing the level of danger of moles and other skin lesions and determining whether they are benign or malignant.

Urgent dermatoscopy is necessary if you notice any changes in the appearance of a mole:

• asymmetry or uneven edges;

• changes in shape, color, or size;

• uneven pigmentation of different areas within one mole;

• pain, burning, or itching of the mole;

• hair loss on the mole, or bleeding from it;

• cracks or ulcerations appearing on the mole;

• spreading of the mole in the form of “satellites” or “seeding” around the main lesion;

• trauma or mechanical damage to the mole.

Dermatoscopy is also needed for people in risk groups:

• those who have relatives with melanoma, actinic keratosis or other skin cancers;

• those with moles located in areas of constant mechanical impact (on the neck, feet, underarms, waist area);

• those with a large number of moles on the body (more than 50).

Dermatoscopy is essential in the case of any rapidly growing or quickly changing lesions on the skin.

A dermatoscope is a special device that uses tenfold magnification and polarization filters to “look” beneath the horny layer of the skin. This examination allows the doctor to determine whether a mole is dangerous or not. If needed, a camera is connected to the dermatoscope to capture an image that can be used at the next visit to evaluate the dynamics of the lesion's development.

At the dermatology department of Oxford Medical Kyiv, the LED dermatoscope Heine Delta 20 Plus is used — a product of the world leader in diagnostic optics manufacturing.

Advantages of dermatoscopy:

• Safety – the examination has no impact on the body;

• Convenience – no preparation is required, in fact, the skin should not be treated beforehand;

• Speed – the examination of a skin lesion takes only a few minutes.