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How Do Melanocytic Nevi Quietly Form on Our Bodies?
The skin, as our body's first line of defense, sometimes hosts some unexpected visitors—melanocytic nevi. They may be small and delicate or conspicuously prominent, drawing attention. What is more worrisome is that when these moles undergo abnormal changes, they may indicate a potential threat of a more serious skin disease—melanoma.
2025/08/26
The skin, as our body's first line of defense, sometimes hosts some unexpected visitors—melanocytic nevi. They may be small and delicate or conspicuously prominent, drawing attention. What is more worrisome is that when these moles undergo abnormal changes, they may indicate a potential threat of a more serious skin disease—melanoma.
Therefore, understanding melanocytic nevi and their relationship with melanoma, and mastering the knowledge of identification, prevention, and treatment, has immeasurable value for maintaining our skin health and overall health.
Melanocytic nevi are a common phenomenon on the skin—how do they quietly form on our bodies?
Zhang Bing, Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: This condition is common; it can be said that almost everyone has more or fewer melanocytic nevi on their skin. Their colors include black, dark brown, skin-colored, etc. They typically increase in number and enlarge in area with age. They are mainly benign skin tumors formed by clusters of melanocytes. There are congenital and acquired types—the congenital ones are commonly called birthmarks, while the acquired ones are commonly called moles or warts. How do they quietly develop? In fact, the exact cause is not very clear. At present it is mainly believed to be a developmental malformation: during the embryonic period, melanocytes occasionally undergo abnormalities in the process of migrating from the neural crest along nerve endings to the epidermis, causing local aggregation of melanocytes. There is no gender difference in incidence; the number is highest between ages 21–30, and they begin to regress spontaneously between ages 70–90. Most are benign lesions.
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