Thin arborizing vessels

A 67-year-old man consulted for this lesion on his back.

Dermoscopy revealed a vascular pattern with (thin) arborizing vessels, some small ulcérations and some scales.

A biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC)

In superficial BCC, arborizing vessels are often thinner than in other subtypes (nodular), and there are no other signs than arborizing vessels.

Squamous cell carcinoma

A 74-year-old man consulted for a scalp tumor.


Dermoscopy revealed an unspecific whitish pattern with a scaly and crusted surface. A biopsy was performed and pathology was in favor of a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
Usually, the dermoscopic features of SCC are an unspecific pattern with scales and polymorphous blood vessels typically surrounded by a whitish halo.

Hemangioma

A 25-year-old woman consulted for a dark blue papular lesion on her left thigh present for 6 years.
Dermoscopy revealed numerous red-blue lacunes (or red-blue saccules) in favor of an hemangioma.
A scar-like depigmentation was present on this lacunar pattern (or saccular pattern).
Fibrosis is a pathological finding sometimes found in hemangiomas.