This is the best picture of a smudge that I have found. Notice the retention of the dermatoglyphics over this lesion. Clinically I was convinced that this was a malignant melanoma that was nearing complete regression. I surgically excised it and nothing but incontinence of pigment at the dermis was identified. The lack of confirmatory histological evidence of melanoma in a lesion of this type is not conclusive evidence that there was not melanoma present and metastatic lesions cannot occur in nodes or systemically. It is worth taking a picture and documenting these lesions in the chart in case there is ever a question in the future.

For more information about malignant melanomas and other forms of skin cancer, click here.