Use of Low-Cost Videomicroscopy vs Standard Videodermatoscopy in Trichoscopy: A Controlled, Blinded Noninferiority Trial

In a controlled, blinded noninferiority trial conducted 7 years ago, researchers compared the reliability of low-cost videomicroscopy (VM) to standard videodermatoscopy (VD) for the differential diagnosis of hair loss. The study included 25 patients with various types of hair loss. Two low-cost VMs were tested against standard VD, and images obtained were evaluated by three blinded dermatologists. The results showed that while the low-cost VMs correctly identified all hair shaft alterations, they had difficulty adequately visualizing certain follicular features due to low color quality and resolution. The conclusion was that low-cost VMs may not be reliable for scalp trichoscopy without further individual controlled noninferiority trials.