Examination of a lesion by naked eye or through a magnifying lens gives good information and we are able to diagnose. The finer details of the lesion will add to our diagnosis. Dermoscope is an instrument that gives us this information. The changes just below the epidermis can be delineated very well by a dermoscope. Various dermoscopic changes of different diseases have been described. The “Atlas of Dermoscopy” with details of these diseases and dermoscopic pictures will be of immense help to the dermatologist. This atlas in conjunction with histopathology will give us a correct diagnosis and help us in managing the disease better.

The Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) is happy to present the first edition of the book “Atlas of Dermoscopy.” This will serve as a ready reckoner for all dermatology residents and practitioners.

Dermoscopy is an in vivo, noninvasive technique for examination of the skin by the use of a handheld device, which allows illumination and 10–14 times magnification of the lesion. While dermoscopy was initially used for the evaluation of melanocytic skin lesions, it has since been incorporated as a diagnostic modality for a wide variety of dermatoses. Due to its diagnostic accuracy and convenience, the interest in dermoscopy has increased in recent years with more dermatologists incorporating it in their diagnostic as well as interventional armamentarium. However, being a visual science, it has a learning curve and also the features may vary in skin of color. The specialty of dermoscopy has evolved tremendously over the years in India, with a steady rise in publications in Asian skin and reports of innovations in the technique of performing dermoscopy at various sites, which has paved the way for the growth of this specialty over the last decade. The Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists (IADVL) is happy to present the first edition of the “Atlas of Dermoscopy.”

Enzo Errichetti MD MSc DVD

Diagnosis in dermatology mainly relies on the physician's ability to finely interpret the morphological changes of the skin, thus making such a discipline one of the most intriguing areas of clinical medicine. For a long time, naked-eye examination has been the only way to characterize skin lesions, with no consideration of all those subclinical dermoscopic details that are known nowadays.

Dermoscopy, the visualization of surface and subsurface structures of the skin by a dermoscope, has been a prominent arena in the field of dermatology in the recent past. Factors attributable to its popularity are that it is a noninvasive method, quick and easy to perform. It is a known fact that dermatological conditions pose diagnostic challenges to dermatologists by virtue of varied and complex morphological features. Dermoscopy comes in handy to delineate similar clinical features by revealing definitive and specific patterns.