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DERMAL NEVUS (MOLE)

(NEE·VUHS)

WHAT IS A NEVUS?

A Dermal Nevus (Plural: Nevi) is the medical term for a mole. Nevi are common enough that most people will possess anywhere from 10 – 40.

A Dermal Nevus is a harmless collection of colored cells that typically appear as small brown, tan, or pink spots.

An individual can be either born with nevi or develop them later on in life. However, an acquired Nevus is one that developed during a person’s adolescence.

TYPES OF NEVUS:

Congenital Nevus

A congenital nevus is a mole that a person is born with. They’re categorized as being either small, medium, or giant in size and vary in color, shape, and consistency. Some congenital nevi can cover large areas of the body.

Dysplastic Nevus

Dysplastic nevus (also known as “atypical mole”) are benign (noncancerous) but often resemble melanoma. These moles can feature different colors and possibly appear asymmetrical. People with dysplastic nevi are at a higher risk of developing melanoma.

Miescher Nevus

A Miescher nevus is a brownish or skin-colored, dome-shaped mole that is firm, round, smooth, and may have hair coming out of it. Miescher Nevus commonly appear on the face or neck.

Common Nevus

Common nevus are smooth, round moles that are only one color. A person can be born with them, but it’s more common that they develop later in adolescence. Common nevi can be flat or dome-shaped and may appear pink, tan, or brown.

Blue Nevus

A blue nevus is a blue-colored mole that can be congenital (born with it) or acquired (develops later in life). A blue nevus appears flat or dome-shaped with discoloration ranging from blue-grey to blue-black. Blue nevi are commonly found in people of Asian descent.

Spitz Nevus

A Spitz nevus is a raised, pink, dome-shaped mole that typically appears before age 20. Spitz nevi vary in color and can bleed or ooze, they are also difficult to distinguish from melanoma.

Unna Nevus

Unna nevi are soft, brownish moles that resemble Miescher nevi and can look like a raspberry. They are usually located on the abdomen, the arms, or the neck.

Meyerson nevus

Meyerson nevi are moles surrounded by a small ring of eczema, which is an itchy, red rash – they can appear even if the individual doesn’t have a history of eczema. These affect men nearly three times as often as women with Meyerson Nevus tending to develop around age 30.

Halo Nevus

A halo nevus is a mole with a white ring of unpigmented skin around it. Over time, the mole in the center begins to fade from brown to pink before disappearing entirely. It’s not uncommon for someone to have several halo nevi at different stages of fading.

Reed Nevus

A Reed nevus (also known as Spindle Cell Nevi) are raised, dome-shaped moles that appear as dark brown or black, and are more prevalent in women. Reed Nevus moles can grow quickly and can also be mistaken for melanoma.

Agminated Nevus

An agminated nevus is a cluster of similar moles located on one area of your body and can vary in appearance, size, and type.

THE ABCDE RULE:

A = Asymmetry: One-half of a mole does not have the same shape as the other half.
B = Border: The edge of a mole is uneven (irregular). It can look jagged, notched, or blurry. The color may spread into the area around the mole.
C = Colour: The color of a mole is not the same throughout. It could have shades of tan, brown, and black, though sometimes areas of blue, grey, red, pink, or white are also possible.
D = Diameter: The size of a mole is larger than 6mm across, which is about the size of a pencil eraser.
E = Evolving: There is a change in the color, size, shape, or feel of the mole. The mole may become itchy or you may have a burning or tingling feeling.

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