Dermoscopic appearance of juvenile xanthogranuloma

Juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) is the commonest form of non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis and manifests as asymptomatic yellow-red papulonodules that usually occur in childhood and spontaneously regress within a year of formation. The diagnosis may be made by clinical examination alone and confirmed by histology in cases of diagnostic doubt. Here we report the use of dermoscopy in evaluating skin lesions suggestive of JXG. Three patients diagnosed as having JXG in our dermatology department over the last year showed a characteristic orange-yellow 'setting sun' appearance on dermoscopy. We therefore feel that the use of dermoscopy can be extended to include the examination of non-pigmented skin lesions, particularly in paediatric patients.