The dermoscope was initially used in dermatology to distinguish between pigmented
and nonpigmented tumors, both benign and malignant. Over the last two decades, however,
the spectrum of dermoscopy has broadened and its role in the diagnosis of nonneoplastic
diseases, in particular inflammatory skin diseases, has become increasingly important.
In the diagnosis of general and inflammatory skin diseases, it is recommended that
dermoscopic evaluation should be performed after clinical examination. In the following
summary, the dermoscopic features of the most common inflammatory skin diseases are
described. Among the detailed parameters are the vascular structures, color, scaling,
follicular findings, and specific signs associated with each disease.
