acetowhitening

Blanching of skin or mucous membranes after application of 3–5% acetic acid solution, a sign of increased cellular protein and increased nuclear density; used particularly on genital skin and mucous membranes, including the uterine cervix, to identify zones of squamous cell change for biopsy and condyloma acuminatum for treatment. SYN: visual inspection with acetic acid. [acetic acid + whitening]

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ace·to·whit·en·ing (ə-se″to-hwiґtən-ing) the process by which certain subclinical lesions of the skin or mucous membranes, especially warts caused by human papillomavirus, become temporarily colorless when acetic acid is applied topically.