This large pigmented nevus demonstrates the type of lesion that requires careful dermoscopic evaluation at every mole check — significant size, variable pigmentation, surface texture irregularity, and hair follicle involvement. Using dermoscopy, Dr. Sierro examines the subsurface pigment network, vascular patterns, and structural features that cannot be assessed by naked eye examination alone — determining whether this lesion is a benign compound nevus or warrants biopsy.

Dermoscopy improves melanoma detection sensitivity by up to 35% compared to visual examination alone. For lesions like this — where the naked eye sees a large brown mole — dermoscopy reveals the subsurface architecture: atypical pigment networks, regression structures, blue-white veils, and vascular patterns that are the diagnostic signature of early melanoma. Every mole evaluated at Kare Plastic Surgery is assessed with dermoscopy by Dr. Sierro.

When Dr. Sierro identifies dermoscopic features concerning for melanoma or other skin cancer, she performs an in-office biopsy under local anesthesia during the same visit — no return appointment required, no delay in diagnosis. The specimen is sent to a board-certified dermatopathologist for histological evaluation, and results are reviewed with the patient promptly to determine the next steps in management.