Clark's Nevus - Treatment and Symptoms

Clark's Nevus is an acquired mole that may appear as solitary or multiple lesions. They can occur at any age and anywhere on the skin. Dysplastic nevi are usually tan, brown, or dark brown in color. They have indistinct borders. They are significant in that someone with a dysplastic nevus is considered to have an increased lifetime risk for melanoma. Dysplastic nevi are not cancers, but many skin cancer experts believe these growths have more potential to turn into the melanoma type of skin cancer than normal moles. Because at times it is difficult to tell if a melanoma has begun to grow within a dysplastic nevus, it may be necessary to do a biopsy. With a biopsy these growths can be examined under a microscope to check for melanoma cells.Dysplastic nevi are seen in about 4 percent of the white population in the United States. Some families have large numbers of dysplastic nevi as well as histories of melanoma. These people must be observed closely because their lifetime risk for melanoma can be quite high.

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