dermatoscope


dermoscope

A device used to examine the skin at low (e.g., 10X) magnification. It consists of a light source, magnifying glass and glass used to press against the skin.

dermatoscope

(dĕr-mat′ŏ-skōp″) [ dermato- + -scope] An instrument used to perform dermatoscopy. Older dermatoscopes consist of a low-power (10×) magnifier, a nonpolarized light source, a transparent plate, and a light layer of mineral oil between the instrument and the skin. The mineral oil allows inspection of skin lesions without reflection from the skin surface. More recent dermatoscopes use polarized light to eliminate skin surface reflections.