PACIFIC OAKS
DERMOSCOPY
Although having a nice tan is a favorite for many Californians, we all know that prolonged sun exposure can have damaging effects to the skin. What appears to be a "normal" mole can sometimes be a type of cancer called melanoma. If these lesions are identified early, they can be removed before causing any invasive damage.
Dermoscopy has its advantages...
At Pacific Oaks we use a new method to evaluate skin lesions. Dermoscopy is the examination of skin lesions with a Dermatoscope. A Dermatoscope is a tool, which traditionally consists of a magnifier light-source device that when used by trained specialists allows for enhanced inspection of skin lesions. Dermoscopy is proven to Increase diagnostic accuracy for unusual skin lesions and early invasive melanoma. Thus, with specialists trained in dermoscopy, there is considerable improvement in the sensitivity (detection of melanomas) as well as specificity (percentage of non-melanomas correctly diagnosed as benign), compared with naked eye examination. If you have not had your annual skin check exam, make an appointment with Pacific Oaks Medical Group for your dermoscopy evaluation today.
