Before we go through the dermoscopy of some benign melanocytic lesions, let’s clarify a few basic definitions:

• Melanocytic lesion: this is a lesion formed from the proliferation of melanocytes, which are the pigment producing cells in the skin.

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• Naevus: this is a non-specific term which refers to a lesion formed from the overgrowth of various cell types within the skin or mucosal sites. Naevi can be melanocytic or non-melanocytic and benign or malignant. On this page we will be focussing on benign melanocytic naevi, also more commonly known as a ‘moles’.