Defining Surgical Margins With Wood Lamp

摘要

Defining clinical margins of lentigo maligna (LM), lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM), and acral melanoma can be challenging when planning surgical excision. This is mainly due to the presence of pathology in normal-looking or lightly pigmented surrounding skin, which can result in incomplete excisions. The Wood lamp has many useful applications in dermatology practice, including skin infections (erythrasma, tinea capitis), pigmentary changes (vitiligo, melasma), and porphyria. However, publications addressing its use in dermatology surgery are scarce. We present a case series of 5 patients who presented to our clinic with suspicious pigmented lesions.