What should you know about dermatoscope use?

The clinician places or holds the instrument over a lesion and adjusts the view to examine its colour, pattern, border, and surface structures. Some examinations use a clear medium between the lens and skin to limit reflection. The tool can make details easier to recognise, but it does not independently label a lesion as harmless or cancerous.

A dermatoscope may be used during a focused mole check, a broader skin examination, or follow-up of an earlier image. The clinician combines the view with your symptoms, medical history, and any change you have observed.

Make a note of when you noticed the area and how it has changed. Mention itching, bleeding, pain, crusting, or a sore that has not healed. Wear clothing that allows the area to be examined, and avoid covering it with makeup if practical. If you have photographs from an earlier visit, bring them or tell the clinician where they are available.

Contact a clinician promptly when a mark changes quickly, develops irregular colour or shape, bleeds without an obvious cause, or repeatedly forms a crust. An open sore that does not heal also needs assessment. These features can have several explanations, so the right next step is examination rather than trying to interpret a dermatoscope image alone.

Ask whether the mark appears suitable for observation, whether an image should be kept for comparison, and what change would alter the plan. If further testing is recommended, ask what question it is intended to answer and when you will receive the result.