Comma vessels

This is a case of dermal nevus located on the back of a woman.

Comma vessels are well observed on this picture taken with a polarized light dermoscope. Milia-like cysts are present but they are less marked than on pictures taken with dermoscope using immersion principle.

Comma vessels are frequently observed in dermal nevi but can be observed too in atypical nevi.

Unna nevus

Melanocytic nevus on the abdomen of a 35-year-old woman.
Dermoscopy reveals exophytic papillary structures, comedo-like openings, milia-like cysts and comma-like vessels.

Superficial spreading melanoma

A 60-year-old man consulted for a changing of color of one of his nevi on his back. The upper part of this nevus turned dark brown a few months before.




On the upper part of the lesion, dermoscopy revealed an atypical reticular pattern, asymmetric irregular globules and a blotch.




On the lower part of the lesion, there was an homogeneous non pigmented pattern with some comma vessels in favor of a dermal nevus.



The tumor was excised and pathology revealed a superficial spreading melanoma developed on a pre-existing dermal nevus.

Other cases of melanoma
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

Exophytic papillary structures

This 50-year-old patient has a soft polypoïd tumor on her left breast in favor of a Unna nevus
Dermoscopy revealed typical exophytic papillary structures,
comma-like vessels and a positive wobble sign.

Atypical nevus

A 40-year-old man consulted for this atypical mole of the intermammary region, without recent changing.
Dermoscopy (x20) showed a combination of two patterns:

1-on the left: an homogenous pattern with comma vessels

2- on the right: a reticular pattern with blue white veil




The lesion was removed and pathology revealed a benign irritated compound nevus with lateral junctionnal extension