Contents
What is an intradermal nevus?
Intradermal nevus – This is a benign formation on the surface of the skin, most often has a congenital character. Such a neoplasm does not develop over time into a malignant tumor. However, according to the results of research by specialists, very rarely (only in 16% of cases) such nevi can be the cause of the formation of melanomas.
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 distinguishing features:
the surface is soft with light pressure;
the color is uniform, does not change with time;
the borders of the mole are clear, bright and even;
inflammation under the mole or near it is not observed.
Most often, the nevus looks like a round wart that protrudes from the skin (flat). Sometimes the neoplasm can take the form of a blackberry (a rounded bumpy “body” is attached to the skin with a small thin leg). On the body, an intradermal mole can be one or more. 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. A depigmented intradermal mole is called those nevi that are practically colorless, whitish or colorless. Looking at them, you can see a network of capillaries or small inclusions of a dark brownish color. Over time, the nevus can change its size and color.
Most often, moles are located in the neck, armpits, inguinal folds, under the mammary glands. With the least probability, such pigmented birthmarks are located 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 benignity of the neoplasm, the number of nuclei in the cells are determined.
Why do such neoplasms occur?
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 assumption, which, according to scientists, can explain the process of the appearance of a neoplasm.
Even at the stage of intrauterine development of the child, melanoblasts are formed, the so-called nevus cells, which play an important role in the formation of some organs of the baby, 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 precisely in melanoblasts. The same birthmarks on the body of a child appear due to the accumulation of a certain amount of immature nevus cells. Due to the fact that such moles form 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 converted in several stages:
in infancy, intradermal nevi are poorly visible, because they are not deep 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 rounded and attached to the leg;
at the final stage, nevus cells stop producing melanin, and some become discolored.
What are intradermal moles
Physicians divide neoplasms into several types:
intradermal papillomatous nevus or warty;
intradermal pigmented nevus or melanocytic;
intradermal non-cellular nevus.
All of them are non-cancerous.
Intradermal papillomatous nevus or warty. Visually, such a mole has a shape resembling a large rounded wart, often on a small stem, which is much smaller than the base of the nevus itself. This formation occurs most often on the head under the hair. The sizes are different from 5 mm to 1-1,5 cm, the surface is bumpy, rough. The color can be both light brown and maroon, dirty brown, up to black. During an external examination, on some intradermal nevi, hairs of short length grow, rather hard and dark. The size of a mole can increase 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 off 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 the mole can be from 2 to 5 mm. The shape of a birthmark can change throughout life. The surface of the 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 is most often formed on the face or neck. They require mandatory treatment or removal, especially if they significantly spoil the appearance of a person. Such nevi manifest themselves 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 by a laser);
cryodestruction (the formation is frozen by liquid nitrogen);
surgical method (the mole is removed with a scalpel);
electrocoagulation (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, and the likelihood of transition to a malignant formation.
If there is even the smallest risk of a nevus turning into melanoma, the doctor will definitely prescribe the removal of the mole with a scalpel. This procedure also removes tissue near the lesion to prevent tumor development.
Many doctors consider laser surgery to be the most effective treatment for intradermal nevi. It is especially good at removing extensive birthmarks that are more than 3 cm in diameter, as well as skin melanoma.
Laser surgery has a number of advantages over other methods of treating nevi:
when removed, there is no bleeding, tk. 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 almost no scars left.
Non-pigmented nevus
Such moles are a type of benign formations. Unlike intradermal nevi, these nevi contain an insufficient number of pigment cells, which is why they are practically colorless and look like a whitish spot with clear boundaries on the skin.
A pigmentless nevus appears on different parts of the body in both women and men. Most often, a single asymmetric spot appears on the skin, which has the shape of a circle or an 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 with time either.
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 occurrence of a birthmark. Prevention makes sense only if the resulting formation has even the slightest chance 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 of them.
If you find any neoplasms on the skin, try to contact your doctor as soon as possible to make sure that the formation is really benign and the risk of developing melanoma is absent or minimal.