Clinical and Dermoscopic Profile of Hypopigmented Lesions among Children Attending a Tertiary Care Centre

Background: Hypopigmented lesions in children are among the most common skin conditions dermatologists see in clinical practice. Due to the social stigma associated with these conditions, they cause anxiety among children and their parents. Clinical examination alone may not help in making a definite diagnosis in all cases. Histopathology, though considered confirmatory, is invasive. In this context, dermoscopy will be a helpful tool as it is non-invasive, less time consuming and has the potential to improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Aim: To study the clinical profile of hypopigmented lesions in children, and to look for dermoscopic findings of these hypopigmented lesions.

Methods: A descriptive study was conducted among children under 18 years of age with hypopigmented lesions anywhere on the body, attending Dermatology OPD of Government T. D Medical College, Alappuzha from November 2021 to May 2023. Dermoscopic examination was done with Dermlite DL-3 dermoscope. The data obtained was analyzed using SPSS software 16.

Results: The study evaluated 125 children with hypopigmented lesions. Out of 125 patients, 70 were males and 55 were females. Mean age of presentation was 8.16 years. Most common site affected was face (51%) followed by limbs (15%) and trunk (7%). Pityriasis versicolor was the most common diagnosis (55.2%), followed by pityriasis Alba (23.2%), nevus depigmentosus (7.2%), vitiligo (4.8%), polymorphic light eruption (4.8%), seborrheic dermatitis (2.4%), lichen striatus (1.6%) and ashleaf macule (0.8%). Comparison between clinical diagnosis and dermoscopic diagnosis indicates almost perfect  agreement between clinical diagnosis and dermoscopic diagnosis.

Conclusion: Most of the hypopigmented lesions in children are benign in nature. Dermoscopy is a useful and reliable tool in improving the accuracy of clinical diagnosis of hypopigmented lesions, there by avoiding invasive procedures.