A 74 year man was referred with a persistent lesion on the right upper nose. This had been present for at least 6 months, it was non tender and had not bleed. On examination there was a rough red macule, lacking scale. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Dermoscopy - Introduction, Terminology and Structures
A document to help you understand the dermoscopic descriptions used in this blog.
Dermoscopy Algorithm
To help you work through dermoscopic cases.
Dermoscopically there are many white circles on a red background, which as you will see from the algorithm is consistent with an actinic keratosis. This dermoscopic appearance is sometimes referred to as strawberry-like, with white-yellow pips nestled in the red fruit.
Not all actinic keratoses have white surface scale, however, they should feel rough. If there is a lot of scale, then the dermoscopic features tend to be hidden.
