Photos - click on tab labelled Palmoplantar melanoma

Palmoplantar melanoma occurs in all races. The palms and soles of even the darkest skinned individuals are white. The white palms of a black person contain as many melanocytes as the black dorsum of the hand, but the melanocytes on the palm are not making pigment. Banal looking nevi on the palms and soles are not of particular concern as they are very common. Nevi that show features of a dysplastic nevus are different, and these nevi are at increased risk for becoming melanoma. The same features on the palms and soles that are seen in dysplastic nevi on the rest of the body should be noted.