Prevalence and Distribution of Melanocytic Naevi on the Scalp: A Prospective Study

In a prospective study conducted at the University of Florence, Italy, involving 795 subjects with a median age of 35 years, researchers investigated the prevalence and distribution of melanocytic naevi on the scalp. The study found that the number of scalp naevi increased significantly with the number of total body melanocytic naevi and atypical total body naevi. Only 15.5% of scalp naevi were located in the frontal region, suggesting that UV exposure may play a less significant role in the development of scalp naevi compared to other areas. No significant increase in scalp naevi was observed in subjects with androgenetic alopecia compared to those without. The study concluded that melanoma screening should include the entire scalp, as the presence of scalp naevi is correlated with the number of total body naevi and atypical naevi, which are risk factors for melanoma. Limitations of the study included a short follow-up period and being conducted at a single institution. Dermoscopy was used for diagnosis, but biopsies would have provided more definitive results.