Dermatoscopy of Inflammatory Diseases in Skin of Color

Abstract

Dermatoscopy is a relevant in vivo diagnostic tool for inflammatory diseases of the skin that aids not only in diagnosis, but also in monitoring the response to treatment. The inflammatory diseases show dermoscopic patterns involving the vessels, scales, follicles, background hue, and special clues. This review aims to provide an overview on the use of dermoscopy in inflammatory dermatoses based on the available literature and the deviation from it in the skin of color (SOC) as there is paucity of literature in dermoscopy of inflammatory disorders in SOC. The dermatoscopic patterns in most of the inflammatory diseases in SOC are similar to that of white skin, with pigmentary changes being the prominent dermoscopic findings while vascular patterns and erythema being less evident.

Pityriasis rosea: dermoscopic features in Uganda

“…This concordance is probably because of similarity in patient characteristics in terms of darker skin phenotypes. A review also reported that blood vessels are not visualized in pityriasis rosea lesions in dark skin 5 . This is discordant to studies done in Greece, Turkey, and India where they reported different blood vessel types and patterns since they involved mostly patients of types IV and lighter Fitzpatrick skin types 3,4,9 …”

“…Additional characteristics include the presence of globules and blood spots 4 . The characteristic dermoscopic features of pityriasis rosea are collarette of white scales (collarette sign) and yellowish background; however, in dark skin, the background may be brownish‐yellow and the vessels are rarely appreciated 5 . These features vary among patients and in different populations.…”

Dermoscopy of nonneoplastic diseases in dark skin

“…Bei der seborrhoischen Dermatitis zeigt sich ein ähnliches Bild. Beim Handekzem findet man braunorange Schollen, gelbe Schuppen oder Krusten sowie Punktgefäße [ 3 ].…”

“…Dieser kann bei der disseminierten, aktinischen, superfiziellen Porokeratose und auch bei Personen mit dunkler Haut hyperpigmentiert sein. Zusätzlich kann man auch kleine randständige dunkelbraune bis schwarze Schollen finden, die histologisch einer Pigmentinkontinenz und Melanophagen in der papillären Dermis entsprechen [ 3 ]. Zusätzlich findet man bei der Porokeratose zentral ein weißes strukturloses Areal und rotbraune Schollen (Abb.…”

Dermoscopy of Inflammatory Dermatoses (Inflammoscopy) in Skin of Color—A Systematic Review by the International Dermoscopy Society “Imaging in Skin of Color” Task Force

“…Although previous attempts have been done to summarize knowledge on dermoscopic patterns of inflammatory dermatoses in skin of color, no systematic review on this topic does exist [ 1 , 2 ]. Therefore, the International Dermoscopy Society (IDS) Task Force on “Imaging in Skin of Color” promoted the present analysis in order to provide a structured overview on the current state of knowledge about dermoscopy of inflammatory diseases (inflammoscopy) in dark phototypes and align dermoscopic terminology of described findings based on a standardized methodology in order to identify possible gaps and show directions of future studies.…”