The Blue
Nevus.
The blue nevus is a type of harmless mole that is dark in colour and can look like a melanoma
The blue nevus is a type of harmless mole that is dark in colour and can look like a melanoma
The blue nevus, which gets its name from its blue colour, is a type of mole (nevus) where the pigment is found deep within the skin (dermis).
These moles may look unusual, but they’re generally benign and no cause for concern. However, you should keep an eye on it to see if it changes over time.
Blue nevi tend to be more common in females than males, with a reported 3:2 predominance and occur in around 4% of people with Asian skin and 1-2% of people with white skin.
A blue nevus mole normally appears from later in childhood onwards – but not usually later than 40 years of age. Once it appears, the mole will remain with you for the rest of your life.
A blue nevus is usually raised and looks like a dome. It can be dark blue to almost black in colour.
Occasionally, a melanoma may look very similar to this type of mole (See photograph).
There are many places on the body where blue nevi can develop; however, they are usually isolated. This means you are unlikely to see more than one nevus in one area. The most common places on the body for blue nevi to occur is the face, neck, hands, feet, scalp and buttocks.
Blue nevi typically exhibit the following characteristics:
A blue nevus should be positively identified every time by your doctor to confirm that it’s not a melanoma.
Gallery of Blue Nevi
Please click on the images for details.
The Blue nevus is a harmless mole that is typically not problematic. A benign blue nevus can remain on your skin your entire life and stay unchanged.
However, you should check with your doctor if any of these changes occur:
Often, your doctor can diagnose a blue nevus just by looking at it, but they may also recommend a biopsy.
What is the Treatment for this Mole?
Once your doctor has confirmed that you have a blue nevus, no treatment is required.
A blue nevus may be removed surgically if your doctor is concerned about the nature of the lesion, if you have cosmetic concerns, or the mole is causing discomfort. In these cases, the mole can be cut out completely or shaved away using a surgical knife by your doctor.
These are some of the key terms that you may find when you’re given a pathology report on this blue mole.
Nests
Blue nevus moles are formed similarly to other moles. The dark colour is due to the gathering of melanocytes n nests. These are cells that produce melanin and influence skin colour.
The melanocyte nests of the blue naevus are found deep in the dermis, giving these moles a dark blue colour.
Common Blue Nevus
There are several different types of Blue Nevus but it’s not possible to distinguish the different types without a biopsy. However, you probably won’t need a biopsy unless your doctor suspects melanoma or when your skin exam fails to definitively identify a suspicious mole as a blue nevus.
The common blue nevus is the most common type of blue nevus. It’s often found on the back of the hands/feet, the head, neck and lower back.
Cellular Blue Nevus
The Cellular blue nevus is a less common type of Blue Nevus with abnormal cells.
The cellular blue nevus is often more nodular (raised) than a common blue naevus, and is often larger as well (eg. 1 to 3cm in diameter). You will find them most often on the lower back or buttocks but sometimes on the backs of the hands or feet.
Blue Nevus grabs your attention because it can look very similiar to melanoma.