What term describes a mole found at the border between the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin?

Prepare for the NCC Low Risk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing exam with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations to help you succeed and get ready for your exam!

The term that describes a mole found at the border between the epidermis and dermis layers of the skin is a junctional nevus. This type of nevus occurs when the nests of melanocytes, which are pigment-producing cells, are located at the junction where the epidermis meets the dermis. Junctional nevi are commonly flat and typically appear during childhood or adolescence.

Understanding the anatomy of skin layers is key to recognizing why junctional nevi are classified this way. The epidermis is the outermost layer, while the dermis lies beneath it. Junctional nevi are significant for monitoring because they can have different implications compared to nevi that are solely found within either layer.

In contrast, an intramucosal nevus typically refers to a mole located in mucosal areas rather than skin. A compound nevus contains nests of melanocytes in both the epidermis and the dermis, which results in a raised appearance. A basal cell nevus is associated with basal cell carcinoma and typically does not designate a mole found between these two layers of skin. Understanding these distinctions helps clarify why junctional nevus is the correct term for the mole described in the question.

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