Dermoscopic Features of Pigmented Bowen Disease: A Multicenter Study on Behalf of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD).

INTRODUCTION: Studies focused on dermoscopic aspects of pigmented Bowen disease (pBD) in Latin American population are scarce and limited to only case reports or small series. OBJECTIVES: To report dermoscopic findings in a large series of 147 pBD diagnosed in Ibero-Latin American population. METHODS: We conducted a multicentric, retrospective study on 147 histologically proven pBD under the auspices of the Dermoscopy Chapter of the Ibero-Latin American College of Dermatology. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 77 females (52%) and 70 males (48%) with a mean age of 68.6 years. 70.1% of patients had skin phototype 3, 15.6% to skin phototype 2, and 14.3% to skin phototype 4. On clinical examination, near 60% of pBD were flat, 70% presented with scales, and 90% were asymmetric. Under dermoscopy, structureless hypopigmented areas, dots brown and pink color were the most frequently observed. Regarding specific dermoscopic clues to pBD, the most prevalent were structureless hypopigmented areas, vessels arranged in linear fashion at the periphery, and pigmented lines or pigmented dots distributed in a linear fashion. Clustered, coiled, and dotted vessels were observed in 55.8%, 45.6%, and 45.6% of the cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We report a large series of cases of pBD in Latin American patients, with most patients being skin phototype 3 and 4. Distinctively in our study, the pigmented structures and the clues derived from the presence of melanin were much more frequent than in previous reports in fair skin.

Usefulness of dermoscopy in the diagnosis and monitoring treatment of demodicidosis.

Demodicidosis is a common infestation and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent or recalcitrant perioral dermatitis or rosacea-like eruptions of the face. We report on a 34-year-old male, who presented with facial erythema and desquamation accompanied by a pruritic sensation. Dermoscopic examination revealed Demodex tails and Demodex follicular openings, both specific features of this entity. Microscopically, standardized skin surface biopsy test was pathogenic and the patient had positive response to anti-demodectic drugs. To our knowledge, a few reports of the dermatoscopic features of demodicidosis have been published in the literature. Dermoscopy offers a potential new option for a real-time validation of Demodex infestation and a useful tool for monitoring treatment.

Proposal for management and dermoscopy follow-up of nevi in patients affected by oculocutaneous albinism type Ia.

Albino patients are at great risk for developing cutaneous neoplasms, including melanomas. In this paper we describe the dermatoscopic findings of nevi in two patients with oculocutaneous albinism type Ia (OCA-Ia) highlighting that they manifest a vascular pattern similar to that described for amelanotic melanoma. We propose managing these patients with dermoscopy, using the comparative approach, digital follow up (DFU), and reflectance confocal microscopy as a complementary tool for difficult cases.

Dermoscopic findings in different clinical variants of lichen planus. Is dermoscopy useful?

Lichen planus (LP) is a papulosquamous dermatosis that involves the skin, scalp, nails and mucous membranes. Although its pathogenesis is still unknown, there is evidence that an imbalance of immunologic cellular reactivity plays an important role. Histopathologic examination reveals characteristic interface dermatitis. Dermoscopy is a non-invasive tool, useful in the assessment of inflammatory dermatoses, such as lichen planus. In this paper we describe the dermoscopic findings of different variants of LP (ungual, cutaneous, planopilaris, pigmentosus).

Dermoscopic findings in a collision tumor composed of a dermatofibroma and a melanocytic nevus mimicking melanoma.

Collision tumors consist of two different neoplasms occurring concurrently in the same lesion. This association has been described for both benign and malignant neoplasms that may be difficult to identify. Therefore, dermoscopy is a valuable tool to make a correct diagnosis. We report a very unusual collision tumor composed of both a dermatofibroma and a melanocytic nevus mimicking melanoma.

Dermoscopic findings in bowenoid papulosis: report of two cases.

Bowenoid papulosis (BP) corresponds to an in situ squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) located in the anogenital region. It is related to HPV, and presents with gray-brown elevated papules or plaques. A biopsy is needed to confirm the diagnosis; however, dermoscopy may be useful to differentiate this disease from other conditions, such as genital warts, seborrheic keratosis and lichen planus. In this paper we describe the dermoscopic findings in two patients with this disease.