Benign skin lesions

Benign skin lesions are one of the most common reasons for a dermatology consultation. They can be congenital or acquired at any age from infancy to late in life, and can be classified according to the cell of origin. Numerous histopathological entities exist, the most common including benign melanocytic naevi (moles), lentigines, seborrhoeic keratoses, epidermoid cysts, skin tags, dermatofibromas and haemangiomas. Careful examination and dermoscopy allow a confident diagnosis in most cases. Rarely, benign lesions are associated with genetic syndromes that predispose to internal malignancy, so-called hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes.