Moles & Dysplastic Nevi

Though scientists and researchers haven’t discovered all of the events responsible for creating atypical moles, it’s believed there are two main drivers behind the development of dysplastic nevi: genetics and environmental factors, such as sun exposure.

Dysplastic nevi can usually be diagnosed with a thorough skin evaluation by a board-certified dermatologist. However, when checking out your skin at home, you can follow the ABCDE guideline developed by the American Academy of Dermatology:

• A for Asymmetrical: Do the two halves of a mole match up?
• B for Borders: Does the mole have an irregular perimeter?
• C for Color: Does the mole feature multiple colors or different shades of brown/black?
• D for Diameter and Dark: Is the mole larger than a pencil eraser, and is it darker than others?
• E for Evolving: Have you noticed a change in size, shape, color, or elevation of a spot?

Dysplastic nevi are not skin cancers but they may be referred to as “precanceous” given the possibility that a future melanoma may develop (within the mole itself or elsewhere on the body). Many remain stable over time and do not become melanoma. However, research suggests the chance of melanoma is about 12x greater for someone with more than 10 dysplastic nevi than for someone who has none. And the more dysplastic nevi a person has, the greater the chance of developing melanoma.