Common Moles Research Articles

Cosmetic management of nevi and pigmentary disturbances.

Pigmented Nevi Pigmented nevi, the common moles of the skin, are more appropriately called melanocytic nevi1since they are benign growths of melanocytes. They begin to appear in early childhood, when special collections of melanocytes at the epidermal-dermal junction become activated. New lesions may continue to develop up to puberty, and occasionally in adult life a shower of nevi may appear. Initially, the first lesions are pigmented macular dots, but after months or years they become elevated and acquire a variety of surface characteristics. In the fifth decade of life, some nevi, after undergoing fibrotic and fatty degeneration, may disappear.2 Histological examination of an early appearing nevus reveals the presence of growing melanocytes at the junction between the epidermis and dermis. This designated junctional activity occurs in 100% of all nevi in children,365% of all nevi in the third decade of life,2and dwindles to