Clinical and Dermoscopic Correlation in Secondary Syphilis: A Report of Three Cases

March 2026 in “ Indian Dermatology Online Journal ”

Shekhar Neema, Shalki Choudhary, Vikas Pathania, GB Prashantha

dermoscopy secondary syphilis alopecia erythematous scaly plaques patchy alopecia scaly lesions erythematous backgrounds dotted vessels scaling patterns

TLDR Dermoscopy can help diagnose secondary syphilis by distinguishing it from other skin issues.

This report discusses the use of dermoscopy as a diagnostic tool in three cases of secondary syphilis, highlighting its potential to improve diagnostic accuracy by differentiating syphilis from other skin disorders. The cases include a 19-year-old male with erythematous scaly plaques, a 24-year-old male with patchy alopecia and scaly lesions, and a 32-year-old pregnant female with asymptomatic lesions. Dermoscopic findings such as erythematous backgrounds, dotted vessels, and specific scaling patterns were observed, which align with previous reports. While dermoscopy shows promise as an adjunct to serology in diagnosing secondary syphilis, further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate its efficacy.

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