Dermoscopy, as a technique, has rapidly evolved over the last decade and this made it necessary to replace many of the pictures in the previous edition of this book. The authors have taken efforts to introduce new dermoscopic images to cover recently described signs and conditions. This should make it instructive to go through this update. I am thankful to the contributors and my editorial assistant for delivering the goods in time and keeping the pressure on me to bring this project to completion.

I wholeheartedly thank Shri Jitendar P Vij (Group Chairman), Mr Ankit Vij (Managing Director), Ms Chetna Malhotra Vohra (Associate Director—Content Strategy) of M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd, New Delhi, India, for stimulating me to bringing out this update. I am also thankful to the Jaypee desktop publication team, especially Ms Savleen Kaur, for doing job neatly in such a short time.

I appeal to my colleagues and postgraduates to send me their feedback regarding this book so that we can improve it to suit their needs. I end with expressing hope that this book stimulates interest in dermoscopy of the spectrum of pigmentary and inflammatory skin, hair, and nail diseases especially for the new entrants.

Moreover, I expect that armed with this book, my colleagues would find it easier to practice dermoscopy on their patients when they return to their clinics to cater to their patients. This should help propagating the noninvasive technique of dermoscopy in a small way. I also thank my colleagues and guest speakers at the conference for readily penning the text according to the requirement of this atlas and text on dermoscopy.

I express my deep gratitude towards our popular Dean and Director, Dr Sanjay Oak, without whose encouragement, this CME or this publication would not have been possible. I wholeheartedly thank Shri Jitendar P Vij (Group Chairman) of M/s Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers (P) Ltd., for agreeing to do this publication at a very short notice. I am also thankful to the Jaypee desktop publication team for doing this job neatly in such a short time. Like any publication done at short notice, there may be some shortcomings in this. If they are scientific, I am sure my colleagues will point them out and we hope to correct them in subsequent editions. If they are of technical nature, I assure you that they are due to oversight and not intentional.

I end with expressing hope that this small book stimulates interest in dermoscopy of the spectrum of pigmentary and inflammatory skin diseases observed in the brown skin and in trichoscopy.

I have been using various versions of dermoscope over the last 25 years and with help of my students and colleagues I made several observations, particularly in the field of inflammatory and pigmentary skin diseases in brown-skinned patients. While some of the observations have a diagnostic value and fill up lacunae in diagnosis (where even a biopsy is not offering reliable differentiation), and others help in clinical decision making or assessing prognosis.

Dermoscope should not be viewed as just another magnifying glass, but is a completely new way to look at the skin. It shows not only surface features but also subsurface features. The benefits of this noninvasive technique multiply as we start using it on a routine basis. Dermoscopy has its own terminologies that allow precise scientific communication. It is imperative for dermatologists to get used to the terminologies and the images that it corresponds with. This will allow them to use dermoscope on a daily basis, so as to eventually transfer its benefits to their patients. It is with this intent of creating a bank of images of applications of dermoscopy in diseases affecting the brown skin, that we have compiled this book. I am sure that many more diseases lend themselves to study with dermoscope and this compilation will stimulate my colleagues to undertake more such observations in the coming years.