Handyscope DermLite: what it does

The device uses magnification and controlled lighting to reveal colours, structures, and patterns beneath the skin surface. A clinician may examine a mole, pigmented patch, scaly area, or changing spot and compare it with other lesions. The view can improve clinical judgement, but it does not by itself provide a diagnosis or replace a full skin history and examination.

Some examinations use contact with the skin and some use a non-contact method. The clinician may photograph findings for comparison or referral, depending on the service and the lesion.

Bring a list of changing or new spots and note when you first noticed changes in size, shape, colour, sensation, or bleeding. Avoid covering the area with makeup on the day if possible. Tell the clinician about previous skin cancers, unusual moles, immune problems, and relevant family history. A Dermatoscope examination may form part of Skin Cancer Screening.

Arrange a prompt skin assessment for a spot that changes, bleeds without clear injury, repeatedly crusts, becomes painful, or differs noticeably from your other moles. Seek urgent help for rapidly spreading redness, severe pain, or signs of infection after a procedure. Do not wait for a handheld image to settle whether a suspicious lesion needs sampling.

Ask what the clinician sees, whether the lesion needs monitoring, photography, referral, or biopsy, and when it should be reviewed. Confirm who will compare follow-up images and which changes should bring the appointment forward.