Diagnostic Procedures

Skin biopsy is a biopsy technique in which a skin lesion is removed to be sent to a pathologist to render a microscopic diagnosis. It is usually done under local anesthetic agent.

There are four main types of skin biopsies: shave biopsy, punch biopsy, excisional biopsy, and incisional biopsy. The choice of the different skin biopsies is dependent on the suspected diagnosis of the skin lesion. It is required to rule out rare conditions confirm clinical diagnosis. It helps to rule out skin cancer and other evolving skin diseases.
Results are often available in 4 to 10 days.

Dermatoscopy (also known as dermoscopy or epiluminescence microscopy) is the examination of skin lesions with a dermatoscope which has a built in light source and a magnifying lens. When the images or video clips are digitally captured, the instrument can be referred to as a “digital epiluminescence dermatoscope”. This instrument is useful to dermatologists in distinguishing benign from malignant (cancerous) lesions, especially in the diagnosis of melanoma.
The diagnostic accuracy for skin conditions is significantly better with a dermatoscope specially for conditions like melanoma, fungal infections, scabies,warts and skin tumours

Trichoscopy is a method of hair and scalp evaluation and is used for diagnosing hair and scalp diseases. Dermoscopy of hair and scalp is called trichoscopy.

Currently magnifications ranging from 10-fold to 70-fold are used.
This technique aid in the diagnosis of hair and scalp diseases, such as alopecia areata,female androgenic alopecia, monilethrix, and woolly hair syndrome.
Characteristic images of female androgenic alopecia included hair shaft heterogeneity and increased percentage of thin (below 30 micrometers) hairs at the vertex.

A Wood’s lamp examination is a test that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to look at the skin closely.The test is done while the individual is seated or standing in a dark room. The person conducting thetest will turn on the Wood’s lamp, holds it 4 to 5 inches from the area of skin being examined, and check for any skin colo changes Under normal condition the skin will not shine, or fluoresce, under the ultraviolet light.

Several skin diseases/challenges such as Vitiligo, Bacterial Infections, Acne, Porphyria, Erythasma, Alopecia, Tinea Versicolor, Fungus & Fungal Infections, Head Lice and their nits, Ringworm and Scabies can be diagnosed using a woods lamp.

Nail matrix biopsy are performed for severe progressive nail conditions using the trapdoor technique without leaving any scars or marks.Nail scraping are also sent for microbiological assessment for suspected fungal infections.

Skin is analyzed using the moisture meter and the videodermatoscope for skin age, textural changes, moisture levels and skin type.