ABSTRACT
A common use of polarized light in medicine is the dermatologist using a dermatoscope that delivers linearly polarized light to the skin, while the dermatologist views through a linearly polarization ›lter that is cross-polarized, that is, oriented so it blocks the illumination light. Consequently, only light that penetrates the skin is randomized by propagation in the skin, such that half the light is now co-polarized with the viewing ›lter and will reach the eye of the dermatologist (Anderson 1991). ™is technique removes the glare from the skin surface. Alternatively, turning the viewing polarizer to be parallel with the orientation of
the polarized illumination light will accent the surface glare and block half the multiply scattered light from the skin, allowing the dermatologist to better view the surface irregularities of the skin.
