Contributor: Gordon K. Klintworth
The compound nevus is a special type of nevocellular nevus [nevus - nevocellular]. It is composed of nevus cells of neural crest origin and it is common in the skin of the eyelid and other parts of the body. It can also occur in the conjunctiva [nevus - conjunctiva]. It is frequently, but not always pigmented by melanin granules. The compound nevus shares attributes of both the junctional nevus [nevus - junctional] and the intradermal nevus [nevus - intradermal] (subepithelial nevus [nevus - subepithelial]), and a potential for malignant transformation. The compound nevus differs from the junctional nevus and the subepithelial nevus (intradermal nevus) by its location in both the subepithelium and epithelium. An increase in pigmentation or size during puberty or pregnancy often prompts excision.