Congenital Hairy Nevus

Burn Care

A congenital hairy nevus is a type of mole that is present at birth. These moles do not usually run in families, meaning they are not inherited. Some of them can be very pale at birth and then become more visible shortly after birth.

Hairy nevi can be very small, or very large, and are generally divided into categories based on their size: small, medium and large. They can appear on virtually any place on the body and about 50 percent of hairy nevi will develop coarse surface hairs. Although most hairy nevi are benign, or not dangerous, they can occasionally turn into malignant melanoma.

Diagnosis of a Hairy Nevus:

Unlike regular moles, which often don’t start to appear until a child is a toddler or even older, hairy nevi are present at birth. A doctor will see the mark by doing a physical examination of the baby. A hairy nevus is also evaluated by looking at these characteristics:

Size in diameter

  • small (< 1.5cm)
  • medium (1.5 – 2.0cm)
  • large (>20 cm)

    • Borders

  • sharp
  • regular
  • irregular
  • blended with surrounding skin

    • Surface

  • textured
  • with or without hair

    • Shape

  • round
  • oval

    • Location

  • anywhere on the body

    • Distribution

  • single spot
  • multiple spots (fewer than 5 percent of patients have multiple spots)

    • Treatment for Hairy Nevus:

    Shriners Hospitals for Children® offers treatment for hairy nevi, and the treatment will vary depending on the size of the hairy nevus and whether it is benign or malignant.

    The most common treatment for hairy nevi is surgical removal. Removal of small nevi is typically done in just one procedure. Removal of a very large nevi may require multiple stages or placement of tissue expanders to create extra skin. In cases where the hairy nevus is located on the nose, ears or eyelids removal may include a skin graft from another part of the body.

    Your child’s doctor will determine the best treatment for your child based on the size and location of the hairy nevus, as well as the age and medical condition of your child.