Intradermal and non-pigmented nevus
Content:
- What is an intradermal nevus?
- Treatment options for an intradermal mole
- Pigmented nevus
- Prevention
What is an intradermal nevus?
An intradermal nevus is a benign formation on the surface of the skin, most often of a congenital nature. Such a neoplasm does not develop into a malignant tumor over time. However, according to the results of specialist research, it is very rare (only in 16% of cases) that such nevi can be the cause of melanoma formation.
Moles or benign formations also include:
- anemic nevus;
- hemangioma;
- teratoma;
- sebaceous nevus.
How to recognize an intradermal mole?
An intradermal nevus is not easy to distinguish from an ordinary mole, but it is quite possible, you just need to know their main distinctive features:
- the surface is soft with light pressure;
- the color is uniform, does not change over time;
- the boundaries of the mole are clear, bright and even;
- inflammation under or near the mole is not observed.
Most often, a nevus in appearance resembles a round wart that protrudes from the skin (flat). Sometimes the neoplasm may have the shape of a blackberry (a rounded, bumpy "body" is attached to the skin with a small thin leg). There may be one or several intradermal mole on the body. If there are several nevi, they can be located in different places or localized all in one.
In size, such birthmarks can range from 0.2 to 1-2 cm. The shade of moles is also different: from black to light brown or burgundy. Depigmented intradermal mole refers to those nevi that are practically colorless, whitish or colorless. Examining them, you can see a network of capillaries or small blotches of dark brownish color. Over time, the nevus can change its size and color.
Most often, moles are located in the neck, armpits, groin folds, under the mammary glands. These age spots are least likely to be found on the arms, legs, back, or abdomen.
The structure of the nevus is carefully examined in medical laboratories under modern microscopes. Thanks to this, the number of cells that have accumulated in the layer of the skin is revealed. The benign quality of the neoplasm, the number of nuclei in the cells are determined.
Why do such new formations arise?
There is still no clear and clear reason for the formation of intradermal nevi on the skin of the human body. Only a version or an assumption, which, according to scientists, can explain the process of the appearance of a neoplasm.
Even at the stage of intrauterine development of a child, melanoblasts, the so-called nevus cells, are formed, which play an important role in the formation of some of the baby's organs, as well as its nerve nodes. In addition, melanin cells, which give the skin of the unborn child a certain color or shade, are formed in melanoblasts. The same birthmarks on the child's body appear due to the accumulation of a certain amount of immature nevus cells. Due to the fact that such moles are formed deep in the layers of the skin, they got their name intradermal nevus.
Among other things, in the formation of birthmarks, the hereditary factor plays an important role. Often, such neoplasms become more or less noticeable only after 12, and sometimes only after 30 years of a person's life.
This is due to the fact that nevus cells are transformed in several stages:
- in infancy, intradermal nevi are poorly visible, because they are shallow under the epithelium;
- with age, nevus cells gradually begin to change and move deeper into the skin, at the first stage penetrating between the epithelium and the dermis;
- further, the so-called boundary birthmarks are formed;
- after a certain period of time, melanoblasts move to a deeper layer (dermal). After that, the mole becomes much more noticeable and goes into the final stage of transformation;
- the shape changes, which can be convex with a wide base or round and attached to the leg;
- at the final stage, nevus cells stop producing melanin, and some of them become discolored.
What are intradermal moles?
Doctors classify neoplasms into several types:
- intradermal papillomatous nevus or verrucous;
- intradermal pigmented nevus or melanocytic;
- intradermal non-cellular nevus.
All of them are not cancerous.
- Intradermal papillomatous nevus or verrucous. Visually, such a mole has a shape that resembles a large rounded wart, often on a small leg, which is much smaller than the base of the nevus itself. Such a formation occurs most often on the head under the hair. Sizes are different from 5 mm to 1-1.5 cm, the surface is bumpy, rough. The color can be either light brown or maroon, dirty brown, up to black. On visual examination, some intradermal nevi grow hair of short length, rather hard and dark. The size of a mole can grow over time. It is recommended to remove such nevi if they interfere with a person, are subject to constant mechanical stress, there is a risk of catching and tearing a mole.
- Intradermal pigmented nevus or melanocytic. Melanocytic nevus is a borderline formation that has a very clear and bright color. The color is retained for a long time due to the content of a large number of melanin cells. The size of a mole can be from 2 to 5 mm. The shape of a birthmark can change throughout life. The surface of a nevus can be either rough or bumpy, smooth. Moles of this type are most often formed in the groin, on the neck, in the armpits, or under the mammary glands.
- Intradermal non-cellular nevus. In appearance, such a mole resembles a small convex oval, which forms most often on the face or neck. They require mandatory treatment or removal, especially if they significantly spoil the person's appearance. Such nevi appear to a greater extent in adolescence, when puberty occurs.
Treatment options for an intradermal mole
Intradermal nevi have several treatment options:
- laser therapy (treatment of a nevus is performed with a laser);
- cryodestruction (formation is frozen with liquid nitrogen);
- surgical method (a mole is removed with a scalpel);
- electrocoagulation (the nevus is cauterized with a special electric knife);
- radiosurgery (a mole is removed with the help of a radio knife).
Before prescribing treatment, the doctor is guided by the size of the mole, its appearance, color, location, as well as the likelihood of transition to a malignant formation.
If there is even the smallest risk of the nevus turning into melanoma, the doctor must prescribe the removal of the mole with a scalpel. This procedure also removes tissue near the mass to prevent the development of a tumor.
Many doctors consider laser surgery to be the most effective treatment for intradermal nevi. It is especially good for removing large birthmarks that are more than 3 cm in diameter, as well as for skin melanoma.
Laser surgery has several advantages over other methods of treating nevi:
- there is no bleeding when removed, because all small vessels are immediately cauterized;
- healthy tissues and cells are not affected, which means they are not injured;
- there is no need for postoperative sutures;
- the period of rehabilitation after the operation is minimal;
- there are practically no scars.
Pigmented nevus
Such moles are a type of benign growth. Unlike intradermal nevi, these nevi contain an insufficient number of pigment cells, which is why they practically do not have color and on the skin they look like a whitish spot with clear boundaries.
A pigmented nevus appears on different parts of the body in both women and men. Most often, a single asymmetric spot appears on the skin, having the shape of a circle or oval with clear outlines. Most often, the disease manifests itself in childhood, much less often in adolescence. A depigmented nevus does not disappear on its own, but it does not progress over time.
The appearance of such a mole on the skin does not require any specific treatment, since in most cases it does not interfere at all and does not affect a person's life.
Prevention
It is impossible to somehow influence the appearance of a birthmark. Prevention makes sense only if the formation that has appeared has even the smallest probability of degeneration into melanoma. What needs to be done:
- avoid direct sunlight on the area with an intradermal nevus;
- try not to sunbathe much with that part of the body on which there is such a mole;
- do not go to the solarium, especially if the birthmarks are large or there are many.
If you find any new growths on the skin, try to contact your doctor as soon as possible to make sure that the formation is really benign and there is no or minimal risk of developing melanoma.
The author of the article: Kuzmina Vera Valerievna | Endocrinologist, nutritionist
Education: Diploma of the Russian State Medical University named after NI Pirogov with a degree in General Medicine (2004). Residency at Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, diploma in Endocrinology (2006).
