Nevus Anemicus Workup

  • Author: Loretta Davis, MD; Chief Editor: William D James, MD   more...
 
Updated: Jan 19, 2012
 

Procedures

Nevus anemicus can be distinguished from various segmental hypomelanoses, such as vitiligo and hypochromic nevi, by diascopy (ie, by applying pressure with a glass slide to the lesion and adjacent unaffected skin). With diascopy, nevus anemicus becomes indistinguishable from the surrounding skin, which is now blanched from the pressure of the slide. Loss of melanin does not occur in the lesion. Wood lamp examination does not accentuate nevus anemicus and may make the lesion inapparent, unlike true depigmenting disorders. The application of friction, cold, or heat does not produce changes within the lesion. Thus, scratching a line across both the lesion and normal surrounding skin will produce erythema in the normal skin but not within the lesion.

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Histologic Findings

The histology of nevus anemicus is normal, and melanocytes are preserved and normally distributed. Electron microscopy fails to detect abnormalities in the vascular structure.

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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Loretta Davis, MD  Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Dermatology, Medical College of Georgia

Loretta Davis, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Carrie L Kovarik, MD  Assistant Professor of Dermatology, Dermatopathology, and Infectious Diseases, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

Carrie L Kovarik, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

David F Butler, MD  Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Chair, Department of Dermatology, Director, Dermatology Residency Training Program, Scott and White Clinic, Northside Clinic

David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, American Medical Association, American Society for Dermatologic Surgery, American Society for MOHS Surgery, Association of Military Dermatologists, and Phi Beta Kappa

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Jeffrey J Miller, MD  Associate Professor of Dermatology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine; Staff Dermatologist, Pennsylvania State Milton S Hershey Medical Center

Jeffrey J Miller, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Professors of Dermatology, North American Hair Research Society, and Society for Investigative Dermatology

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

Additional Contributors

The authors and editors of eMedicine gratefully acknowledge the contributions of previous author, Theresa G. Knoepp, MD, to the development and writing of this article.

References

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  2. [Guideline] Ahkami RN, Schwartz RA. Nevus anemicus. Dermatology. 1999;198(4):327-9. [Medline].

  3. Castori M, Rinaldi R, Angelo C, Zambruno G, Grammatico P, Happle R. Phacomatosis cesioflammea with unilateral lipohypoplasia. Am J Med Genet A. Feb 15 2008;146A(4):492-5. [Medline].

  4. Tran HV, Zografos L. Primary choroidal melanoma in phakomatosis pigmentovascularis IIa. Ophthalmology. Jul 2005;112(7):1232-5. [Medline].

  5. Alagheband M, Engineer L. Nevus anemicus. Skin and Aging. 1998;11:60.

  6. Mountcastle EA, Diestelmeier MR, Lupton GP. Nevus anemicus. J Am Acad Dermatol. Apr 1986;14(4):628-32. [Medline].

  7. Requena L, Sangueza OP. Cutaneous vascular anomalies. Part I. Hamartomas, malformations, and dilation of preexisting vessels. J Am Acad Dermatol. Oct 1997;37(4):523-49; quiz 549-52. [Medline].

 
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Ill-defined, asymptomatic hypopigmented patch of nevus anemicus on the lateral leg.
 
 
 
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