ABSTRACT
The diagnosis of skin disease is made by following the same general principles as in any other branch of medicine. A past history of living or working in a hot climate may be the clue the reader need for the diagnosis of skin cancer. Itching is a nuisance to the patient but may not help the reader in making a diagnosis. If eczema is present, a history of infantile eczema, asthma or hay fever may suggest a diagnosis of atopic eczema. The skin scales should be sent to the mycology laboratory in special envelopes where direct microscopy and culture can be performed. The surface of a skin lesion is viewed through the magnifying lens of a dermatoscope using special polarised light often with the aid of oil on the surface. Superficial fungal infections are caused by dermatophytes and yeasts. The all live on keratin and can be identified in scales taken from the edge of a scaly lesion.
