ABSTRACT
Dermoscopy of the distal edge of the nail plate is very useful for localizing the pigment within the nail plate. is is important for understanding the site of melanin production as pigmentation in the ventral nail plate indicates that the lesion is localized in the distal nail matrix, whereas pigmentation in the dorsal nail plate indicates that the lesion is localized in the proximal nail matrix. Distal edge dermoscopy can then be used as a preoperative tool to select the anatomical site of excision.
