Characteristic dermoscopic features of melasma.
OBJECTIVE
To discribe the characteristic dermoscopic features of melasma.


METHODS
Totally 20 patients with typical clinical presentations of melasma were included in this study. The melasma lesion and its surrounding normal skin were evaluated using dermatoscope.


RESULTS
Melasma lesions manifested light yellow brown uniform patches in all patients, among whom dark brown patches were found in 19 patients, capillary network in 14 patients,and coarse hair in 6 patients. In contrast, no light yellow brown uniform patch was found in the normal skin in all patients (P<0.001), among whom dark brown patches were found in 10 patients (P<0.001), capillary network in 12 patients (P>0.05), and coarse hair in 2 patients (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Light yellow brown uniform patches and dark brown patches are two major dermoscopic features of melasma.
Department of Dermatology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Yun
Y
Li
Department of Dermatology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Jie
J
Liu
Department of Dermatology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730, China.
Qiu-ning
QN
Sun
D006801:Humans; D008548:Melanosis; D012867:Skin