Blue Nevi Follow-up

  • Author: Rudolf R Roth, MD; Chief Editor: William D James, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 12, 2012
 

Complications

  • Common blue nevi are clinically benign. Lesions tend to persist unchanged throughout life.
  • Cellular blue nevi are usually clinically benign. Because of their large size, biopsy and excision tend to be performed more often on cellular blue nevi than on common blue nevi.
  • Rare cases of malignant melanoma have been reported to arise in cellular blue nevi. Any change in these lesions is an indication for biopsy or excision.
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Prognosis

  • The prognosis of blue nevi is excellent.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Rudolf R Roth, MD  Medical Director, Department of Dermatology, Penn Medicine at Radnor; Associate Professor of Clinical Dermatology, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Rudolf R Roth, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Association of Military Dermatologists

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Scott M Acker, MD  Associate Professor, Director of Dermatopathology, Departments of Dermatology and Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Scott M Acker, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Medical Association, American Society for Clinical Pathology, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Terry L Barrett, MD  Clinical Professor of Dermatology and Pathology, University of Texas Southwestern School of Medicine; Director, ProPath Dermatopathology, Dallas, Texas

Terry L Barrett, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Dermatological Association, American Medical Association, American Society of Dermatopathology, College of American Pathologists, and United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Michael J Wells, MD  Associate Professor, Department of Dermatology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Paul L Foster School of Medicine

Michael J Wells, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Lester F Libow, MD  Dermatopathologist, South Texas Dermatopathology Laboratory

Lester F Libow, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology, American Society of Dermatopathology, and Texas Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Catherine M Quirk, MD  Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania

Catherine M Quirk, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha and American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

William D James, MD  Paul R Gross Professor of Dermatology, Vice-Chairman, Residency Program Director, Department of Dermatology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

William D James, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Investigative Dermatology

Disclosure: Elsevier Royalty Other

References

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Common blue nevus on the scalp.
Common blue nevus on the hand.
Common blue nevus. Numerous elongated dendritic melanocytes with a subepidermal grenz zone. Courtesy of Rose Elenitsas, MD.
Cellular blue nevus. Deep proliferation of dendritic melanocytes, broader at the surface than the base, with islands of paler cells with larger nuclei. Courtesy of Rose Elenitsas, MD.
 
 
 
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