Irritated compound naevus
An irritated compound naevus is a benign melanocytic lesion of the “compound” type that has become inflamed or symptomatic due to local irritation.
Compound naevus
A compound naevus is a common benign mole in which melanocytic nests are present at the junction of the epidermis and dermis and also within the dermis.
Meaning of “irritated”
“Irritated” typically refers to a change caused by friction or trauma, such as shaving, rubbing from clothing, scratching, or sunburn over the mole. Common resulting symptoms and appearance include redness around the mole, tenderness, itching, crusting, scaling, or bleeding.
Clinical significance
Irritation can make a benign mole look different from its usual pattern, which can resemble concerning skin changes from melanoma. Clinical assessment is therefore needed when a mole becomes newly symptomatic, changes appearance, or fails to settle after the irritant is removed.
Usual next step
Evaluation by a clinician is used to confirm the diagnosis, often with dermoscopy and, when indicated by concerning features, biopsy or excision for histologic confirmation.