Dermatoscopy is a method used for detailed examination of outer skin layers and assessment of pigmented skin growths such as moles, seborrheic verruca, vascular lesions (hemangioma), skin carcinoma. The examination aims to differentiate between malignant and non-malignant pigmentation and help the timely diagnosis of skin cancer and its prevention.
This type of examination is recommended during a skin cancer prevention consultation for aged patients and those who have numerous atopic moles or those who have a family member diagnosed with malignant melanoma.

Dermatoscopy involves the use of dermatoscope which magnifies the skin structure and allows much more detailed observation of the skin which is not possible to be performed with the naked eye. Dermatoscopy is a specific examination that reduces the frequency of unnecessary removal of warts. Digital dermatoscopy provides new and better opportunities to dynamically inspect the observed lesions as well as to avoid the subjectivity of the dermatoscopic analysis by saving the images on an electronic device and storing them into a database. The digital dermatoscope turns out to be the most useful diagnostic method to be used for patients having lots of pigmented nevi (moles) that need to be followed up every 6 months. With this end in view a special programme for skin mapping of nevi is applied to every person. It allows the objective detection of any change into the size, colour, borders and structures of the moles. It leads to a timely and easy screening for and prevention of skin cancer by detecting the suspicious lesion and removing it at the earliest stage.