A rapidly growing skin lesion in childhood

WHEN children develop a rapidly growing lesion on their skin it is always a bit worrying.

This lesion looks pink and appears to have bled into one part. You might consider a vascular proliferative lesion such as a pyogenic granuloma occurring after injury, but you should also consider a Spitz naevus. The latter is often pink and rapidly growing. The dermatoscope is not really able to differentiate in this situation between a Spitz naevus and an amelanotic melanoma and hence these should be excised for histological examination. You might correctly argue that a melanoma is very rare in this age group, but it is best to be conservative and have these excised. This young fellow had it removed under local confirming a Spitz naevus.

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