Melanocytic Nevi

Abstract

Genital melanocytic nevi are benign proliferations of melanocytes, which clinically appear as pink-tan to dark brown flat or elevated skin lesions. A small subset of benign nevi named atypical melanocytic nevi of the genital type occurs in young women or, more rarely, on male genitalia; they may have alarming clinical features, such as large size, irregular shape, and dark color. Melanocytic lesions of the genital area are usually diagnosed according to clinical findings and dermoscopy may help recognize. Genital melanocytic nevi generally exhibit dermoscopy features similar to nevi located on other parts of the body. Dysplastic nevi show elongation and bridging of the rete ridges with nests of nevus cells, upper dermal lamellar fibrosis, variable chronic inflammatory infiltrate, and variable degrees of cellular atypia. Globules on dermoscopy represent nests of melanin-containing nevus cells within the dermis or dermo-epidermal junction, a globular pattern corresponds to compound and intradermal nevi, while a pigmented network is related to melanin at the dermal-epidermal junction.