What is a dysplastic nevus (also known as an atypical mole)?
The word ‘nevus’ refers to a mole and the terms ‘dysplastic’ and ‘atypical’ are used interchangeably. An atypical or dysplastic nevus is a mole that is biologically benign but has some of the features that are seen in melanoma. A dysplastic nevus may meet one or more of the ‘ABCD’ criteria on visual inspection, but when biopsied, its pathological features are not sufficiently developed to render a diagnosis of melanoma. An atypical nevus may or may not need to be removed depending on how worrisome its features are. Of greatest importance is that patients with a history of one or more dysplastic nevi have an increased risk of developing a melanoma.
