White halo around the birthmark

A white halo around the mole often appears because the epidermal cells that produce the pigmentary substance - melanin - begin to function less. Such spots can have different shapes and sizes. Often, these formations are simply a subspecies of ordinary nevi. They appear on the skin near the moles, and later disappear, without exerting any influence on them.

Causes of the white halo around the birthmark

There are two main reasons for the appearance of a white halo around the mole:

• Safe, in which the halo around the mole does not speak about malignant degeneration, but rather is a symptom of the pigmented spot beginning to disappear from the skin. Over time, it begins to dissolve, resulting in this light area.
• Dangerous, in which a change in moles can indicate that education is transformed into a malignant tumor. In some cases, changing the color of the birthmark, as well as the appearance of a spot around it, is a sign that basal cell carcinoma of the skin or melanoma begins to develop on the site of the nevus.

Pathogenesis

The depigmentation process is due to the fact that in melanocytes the level of melanin decreases, as a result of which they disappear from the epidermis.

This genetic defect can also be associated with pathology - in some patients it can be combined with  vitiligo.

[1], [2], [3], [4]

Symptoms of the white halo around the birthmark

The white halo around the mole is sometimes also called the Seton's Halonovus or Nevton. When the process of development of this formation begins, a pigmentary birthmark appears on the skin, and later a halo of light, pigmentless skin begins to form around it. Sometimes, before depigmentation, the skin may lightly blush. The mole itself looks like a nodule that rises slightly above the skin (it may have a brown, light brown or reddish color). This mole has a clearly defined size and shape. The white spot is often 2-3 times larger than the nevus, which is located in its very center.

Most often, halonews appear on the hands or torso, occasionally appear on the face. Usually such formations differ in multiplicity - they are very rare.

This education is considered to be benign, not threatening to degenerate in melanoma. But sometimes the appearance of such a nevus may be a symptom of the development of malignant formations in internal organs, neurofibromatosis.

The most important symptom of halonews is that it develops in stages - first a pigmented growth occurs, and then after a while a white spot of discolored skin appears around the new birthmark. After that, for several years, the pigment part of the mole is decreasing and the gradual return of the depigmented area of the skin to normal color begins.

The white rim around the birthmark usually appears under the influence of sunlight - a mole gets a sunburn. Over the years, such a halonovus can discolor completely. It should be borne in mind that the emergence of several such formations can be the first symptom of vitiligo development.

Complications and consequences

Halonews are considered benign in themselves, but there is no way to exclude the risk that they can be transformed into malignant tumors - melanoma. If the mole began to degenerate into melanoma, it is necessary to start treatment as soon as possible, otherwise serious consequences, including fatal ones, can occur, since melanoma in the late stages of development has an unfavorable outcome.

[5], [6], [7]

Diagnostics of the white halo around the birthmark

Since the halonews differ quite typical clinical signs and develop in stages, it is quite easy to diagnose them. It is much more difficult to identify the formations that are the initial signs of vitiligo - for this, more research is needed.

[8], [9], [10], [11]

Analyzes

In order to diagnose the nature of education, a patient can be referred for examination to a dermatological oncologist - this is necessary to find out if the haloneuvus is a hidden melanoma, because in the early stages of development they have similar symptoms. In such cases, a tissue biopsy is performed, which is then transferred for histological analysis.

[12]

Instrumental diagnostics

Among the methods of instrumental diagnostics there are two main ones:

• Dermatoscopy, with which a visual examination of the nevus is performed under a large increase. This method allows you to carefully study the structure of education, to reveal all the nuances and details;

• Siascopy is a non-invasive method, due to which the external structure of the mole and the distribution of dermal melanin are evaluated. It also shows the level of collagen and hemoglobin.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnostics of halonews with neurofibroma, warts, vitiligo, blue and epithelioid nevus, as well as melanoma in the initial stages is carried out.

[13]

Treatment of the white halo around the birthmark

To remove a mole with a white halo is necessary only if there is a suspicion that the nature of the formation is malignant. Symptoms can be changes in the color of the nevus, its size, as well as the violation of the integrity of its surface. Sign of complications will also be pain or discomfort in the area of a mole. If, in combination with these symptoms, it is not possible to clearly differentiate the mole from melanoma, one should resort to its removal together with the depigmented halo around.

It should also be noted that for each individual case it is necessary to select an individual type of treatment. When it is necessary to remove a birthmark from a traumatic area, a method of laser surgery or the freezing of a nevus can be applied. Also sometimes resort to the help of electrosurgical method - the damaged tissues are separated and excised by high-frequency current (the force of oscillations can reach up to 700 thousand units per second). In this way, nevi are usually removed from sensitive areas of the skin.

Medications

In some cases, a mole with a white rim is a sign of vitiligo, and for the complete elimination of this pigment defect, truly effective therapeutic regimens and medications have not yet been established. The process of therapy can be very long, so the patient will need patience.

During treatment, the endocrine system and liver are normalized, the PUVA-therapy methods are used: taking photosensitizers, as well as ultraviolet irradiation sessions. In addition, the doctor can prescribe courses for the intake of corticosteroid hormones, drugs containing copper and ascorbic acid, as well as the use of immunomodulators. Since the causative agents of vitiligo have not yet been clarified, all these medications can only halt the progression of the symptoms of the disease, but they are not able to completely eliminate them.

Alternative treatment

There are several ways of alternative treatment of vitiligo.

Treatment with wine. You need to take 0.5 stack. Rubbed herb letter, as well as any wine (2 liters). Boil the grass in wine over a small fire for about 15-20 minutes. Use the resulting tincture you need twice a day - before eating and before going to bed (50 grams each).

Treatment with infusion of red pepper. Take a little dried pods of hot red pepper and put them in a jar (1 liter), pour it with vodka, cover with a lid and wrap it with a cloth or towel. After that, the bank needs to be put in a dry place, closed from the sun, for 25 days. In this tincture you need to stir every day. Then, when the period is over, get the pepper from the jar and get the stains of vitiligo 5-10 minutes three times a day from the infusion. Then the areas of the skin lubricated with solution must be placed under the sun's rays. Treatment should be carried out continuously, until the tincture does not end completely.

[14], [15], [16]

Herbal Treatment

Vitiligo can also be treated with medicinal herbs.

Herbal collection, which is made by mixing the leaves of nettle and sage, St. John's Wort (20 grams), alternating and calendula flowers (15 grams), as well as oregano (10 g). Need to take 2 tablespoons. Of the resulting mixture and pour 0.5 liters of boiling water. Infuse the mixture for 2 hours, and then drain. To eat before meals three times a day for half a cup. The treatment course lasts 3 months. It can be repeated after a break of 2 months.

Using duckweed - wash it and rub it together with flower honey in a ratio of 1k1. The resulting mixture used for 1 tsp. Three times a day.

Ointment from the flowers of parsnip. It is necessary to grind the grass until a homogeneous mass is obtained, then take 2 tablespoons. And mix them with 100 g of melted fat. The resulting mixture should be held on low heat for 2-3 hours, after which it should be cooled and smeared with spots twice a day.

Apply geranium - dried and chopped roots of red geranium (50 g) you need to pour boiling water (1 L) and leave to infuse for 4 hours. Strain the resulting tincture and pour into a full bath water. Every day before going to bed for 15-20 days. Take such a warm bath.

Prevention

There are no special preventive methods for preventing the development of halonews, since the cause of their occurrence is still not completely known.

If you have such formations, you should hide them from sunlight, as they can negatively affect the mole itself, as well as the depigmented area around it - you can get a sun burn. Also stress conditions should be avoided, because emotional shocks can contribute to the development of autoimmune reactions.

[17], [18], [19], [20], [21]

Forecast

The white halo around the mole usually disappears on its own, although in some cases it may take even several years. Halonews are not transformed into a basal skin or melanoma, so the prognosis is often favorable. But it should be understood that they are similar in their symptoms to the development of some types of melanomas. Therefore, when such an education appears, one should undergo an examination with a specialist to exclude the possibility of a malignant tumor.