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Dermoscopy (also know as dermatoscopy) uses a handheld device called a dermatoscope or dermoscope to observe the skin. A dermatoscope is essentially composed of a light source and a magnifiying glass. The light source is extremely bright provided by light-emitting diodes and the magnification lens is x10.

 

Dermoscopy allows visualisation of deeper structures in the skin that are not seen with the naked eye. It allows for visualisation of structures below the top level of the epidermis (stratum corneum) as far down as the superficial dermis.

How does a dermatoscope work?​

The information provided by a dermatoscope is not just that of an illuminated magnifying glass. To understand what further information can be optained it is important to understand some basic physics of light and the skin.

 

Basic priniciples of the interaction between light and the skin.

 

The easiest way to think about the interaction of light and the skin is to think of the sea on a sunny day. Much of the light is scattered from the surface.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the same with the skin. Some of the incident light falling on the skin is absorbed by the superficial epidermis and dermis however the majority of incident light is reflected from the surface. This surface glare overwhelms the retina and prevents visualisation of the reflected light from deeper structures. This reflected light from deeper structures is the key to dermscopy and allows a vast amount of information to be ascertained.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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