Sections View Full Chapter Figures Tables Videos Annotate Full Chapter Figures Tables Videos Supplementary Content + Download Section PDF Listen ++ For further information, see CMDT Part 6-03: Melanocytic Nevi (Normal Moles) + Key Features Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Benign mole Small (< 6 mm) lesion with a well-defined border Single shade of pigment from beige or pink to dark brown Stages of nevi First decade: junctional nevi are nevus cells are at the junction of the epidermis and dermis; appear as flat, small, brown lesions Over next 2 decades: Compound nevi are moles that have enlarged and become raised, reflecting appearance of a dermal component As white patients enter their eighth decade: most moles lose their junctional component and dark pigmentation + Clinical Findings Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Normal moles should be well-demarcated, symmetric, and uniform in contour and color May darken and grow during pregnancy + Diagnosis Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ Physical examination must take precedence over the history Benign nevi must be differentiated from malignant melanomas Signs of melanoma can be remembered by the mnemonic: ABCDE with A = Asymmetry; B = Border irregularity; C = Color variegation; D = Diameter greater than 6 mm; E = Evolution + Treatment Download Section PDF Listen +++ ++ None required; benign moles have a normal natural history Regular mole screening is not an evidence-based recommendation for all adults although rates of such screening continue to rise Moles that are atypical in any fashion that suggests melanoma should be excised and submitted for pathologic examination