QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2015, 913–914 doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcv098 Advance Access Publication Date: 19 May 2015 Clinical picture
CLINICAL PICTURE
Becker’s nevus adolescent males and is characterized by hypertrichosis and irregular, well-defined borders.1,2 Females are less affected compared with males. Involvement of the whole upper limb, as seen in the index case, is uncommon. The nevus exhibits androgen hypersensitivity, which accounts for increase in size, darkening of pigmentation and development of hypertrichosis during adolescence. Becker’s nevus is generally asymptomatic, and no treatment is usually required. However, apart from cosmetic disfigurement, it may be associated with other malformations, such as ipsilateral breast hypoplasia, supernumerary nipples, aplasia of the pectoralis major muscle and other musculoskeletal and spine abnormalities, when it is called as Becker nevus syndrome.2 Photographs and text from: K.V. Vinod, Department of General Medicine, JIPMER, Dhanvantri Nagar, Puducherry 605 006, India. email: [email protected]
Figure 1. A large Becker’s nevus involving the right shoulder, right upper trunk and the whole of right upper limb [a and b], with blackish hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis.
C The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. V
All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected]
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A 45-year-old male agricultural labourer was admitted for suicidal organophosphate poisoning, with respiratory paralysis and recovered after mechanical ventilation for 5 days. He was noted to have a large, asymptomatic, hyperpigmented [blackish] patch over the shoulder, upper trunk and the whole of the upper limb on the right side, with well-defined irregular margins [Figure 1a and b]. Growth of excessive coarse hair was noted over the lesion, compared with the normal skin over rest of body. The nevus had been initially noticed over the right upper chest and shoulder, when he was about 10 years old and later increased in size, with excessive hair growth and darkening of pigmentation to attain the present size, as he grew up. Approximately 13% of the body surface area was involved. There was no family history of similar large nevus. Physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Becker’s nevus is an acquired, hyperpigmented hamartoma typically seen on the upper trunk and upper arms in
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QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2015, Vol. 108, No. 11
References 1. Becker SW. Concurrent melanosis and hypertrichosis in distribution of nevus unius lateris. Arch Derm Syphilol 1949; 60: 155–60.
2. Cosendey FE, Martinez NS, Bernhard GA, Dias MF, Azulay DR. Becker nevus syndrome. An Bras Dermatol 2010; 85: 379–84. [Article in English, Portuguese].
Downloaded from by guest on January 28, 2016
CLINICAL PICTURE
Becker’s nevus adolescent males and is characterized by hypertrichosis and irregular, well-defined borders.1,2 Females are less affected compared with males. Involvement of the whole upper limb, as seen in the index case, is uncommon. The nevus exhibits androgen hypersensitivity, which accounts for increase in size, darkening of pigmentation and development of hypertrichosis during adolescence. Becker’s nevus is generally asymptomatic, and no treatment is usually required. However, apart from cosmetic disfigurement, it may be associated with other malformations, such as ipsilateral breast hypoplasia, supernumerary nipples, aplasia of the pectoralis major muscle and other musculoskeletal and spine abnormalities, when it is called as Becker nevus syndrome.2 Photographs and text from: K.V. Vinod, Department of General Medicine, JIPMER, Dhanvantri Nagar, Puducherry 605 006, India. email: [email protected]
Figure 1. A large Becker’s nevus involving the right shoulder, right upper trunk and the whole of right upper limb [a and b], with blackish hyperpigmentation and hypertrichosis.
C The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Association of Physicians. V
All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: [email protected]
913
Downloaded from by guest on January 28, 2016
A 45-year-old male agricultural labourer was admitted for suicidal organophosphate poisoning, with respiratory paralysis and recovered after mechanical ventilation for 5 days. He was noted to have a large, asymptomatic, hyperpigmented [blackish] patch over the shoulder, upper trunk and the whole of the upper limb on the right side, with well-defined irregular margins [Figure 1a and b]. Growth of excessive coarse hair was noted over the lesion, compared with the normal skin over rest of body. The nevus had been initially noticed over the right upper chest and shoulder, when he was about 10 years old and later increased in size, with excessive hair growth and darkening of pigmentation to attain the present size, as he grew up. Approximately 13% of the body surface area was involved. There was no family history of similar large nevus. Physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Becker’s nevus is an acquired, hyperpigmented hamartoma typically seen on the upper trunk and upper arms in
914
|
QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 2015, Vol. 108, No. 11
References 1. Becker SW. Concurrent melanosis and hypertrichosis in distribution of nevus unius lateris. Arch Derm Syphilol 1949; 60: 155–60.
2. Cosendey FE, Martinez NS, Bernhard GA, Dias MF, Azulay DR. Becker nevus syndrome. An Bras Dermatol 2010; 85: 379–84. [Article in English, Portuguese].
Downloaded from by guest on January 28, 2016
