Four clinical cases of small melanomas detected by dermoscopy associated with clinical data and total body photographs with systematic monitoring are described. In small melanomas, dermatoscopic findings alone are not always sufficient to correctly indicate the excisional biopsies used in anatomical-pathological examinations.

Keywords: DERMOSCOPY, MELANOMA, PHOTOGRAPHY

Dermoscopy of lentigo maligna on the face has reliable and well-tested parameters for its diagnosis. However, some benign lesions such as pigmented actinic keratoses have dermoscopic aspects that are common in malignant lentigo, making the correct diagnosis difficult. This fact often leads to unnecessary excisions of benign lesions. The present article discusses these morphological parameters in light of the dermoscopic analysis of the commonalities between lentigo maligna and pigmented actinic keratosis, also touching upon the aspects already described for the diagnosis of pigmented actinic keratoses.

Keywords: DERMOSCOPY; HUTCHINSON'S MELANOTIC FRECKLE; KERATOSIS, ACTINIC; FACE.