title: Dermoscopic Features of Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus in the Setting of a Prospective Cohort of Patients: New Observations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dermoscopic features of vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) were investigated in order to determine both vascular and non-vascular features of this disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dermoscopic images of 35 patients affected with histopathologically confirmed VLS were evaluated for the presence of predefined morphological criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On dermoscopy, VLS lesions exhibited very sparse vessels, mainly linear, without a specific arrangement. Dotted vessels were observed mostly in the early stage of the disease. Patchy, structureless areas, whitish to white-yellowish to pink-whitish in colour over a diffuse whitish background, were a distinctive and constant dermoscopic feature. Grey-blue dots, usually with a characteristic peppered arrangement, corresponding to dermal melanophages, were also frequently seen. Comedo-like openings and scales were observed, as well as peculiar structures like ice slivers, not identified by histological examination.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings show that VLS exhibits characteristic dermoscopic patterns that can aid in its clinical diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Sezione di Dermatologia e Malattie Infettive, Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche, Universitx00E0; degli Studi di Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borghi
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corazza
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minghetti
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bianchini
authors.forename: Annarosa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Virgili
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D046169:Dermoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D007724:Vulvar Lichen Sclerosus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult