Should Dysplastic Nevi Be Removed?

Dysplastic nevi can be classified as mild, moderate or severe. Mild is closer to benign, while moderate to severe is closer to melanoma. When diagnosed, most dermatologists will recommend that severe dysplastic nevi be removed as a precaution.

When should dysplastic nevus be removed?

Most dermatologists usually recommend that all patients with these severely dysplastic moles have them removed with a margin (0.5 cm-about a quarter inch) of clinically normal skin. Also many dermatologists recommend removing "moderate dysplasia" moles, if the biopsy didn't get all of it.

Is a dysplastic nevus precancerous?

There are several skin conditions that can be a “precancer” or an indicator that one may be prone to skin cancers. Two of the most common are known as actinic keratosis and dysplastic nevus.