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Wednesday 9 July 2008

Halo nevus

A 16-year-old boy underwent a yearly mole check-up. One year later, one of his nevi presented a peripheral depigmentation in favor of halo nevus.



The difference between the two dermoscopic images at a one year interval was very marked:
  • depigmentation of the surrounding skin
  • enlightening of the global pattern and rarefaction of the globules

In this case occuring in a teen, there were no atypical dermoscopic features in favor of a melanoma and another appointment was scheduled one year later.


Halo nevus is a benign lesion and no treatment is required. It is a frequent phenomena during childhood. Despite benign features, the presence of a new halo lesion in an adult has to be examined with a high index of suspcion of melanoma. If a halo nevus is showing atypical dermoscopic features, an excision has to be scheduled.