Becker’s nevus, which is also known as pigmented hairy epidermal nevus or nevus spilus tardus, is a skin pigmentation disease that usually occurs in men. Typically, Becker's nevus first appears during the teen years. The most commonly affected parts of the body are the shoulders, chest, or upper back.
Stages and Symptoms of Becker's Nevus
When a Becker’s nevus first appears, it appears as a brown flat patch that can expand to about the size of a hand or perhaps larger. The outline is well defined and may be irregular in shape. As the patch continues to develop over a few years, dark coarse hair begins to grow in the lesion. Sometimes the color may get lighter with age, but some dark color and hair remain for life.
Treatment of Becker's Nevus
As Becker's nevus is a benign condition, treament options are primarily cosmetic.
Becker's nevus is a difficult condition to treat. Some patients opt for laser treatment, such as Er:YAG Laser. Laser treatment is not always successful in removing the lesion. Another option that some patients choose is to cover the affected area with a tattoo.
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