The common blue nevus was first described by Tische, a student of Jadassohn, in 1906. Similar lesions were described by earlier authors as chromatophoroma and melanofibroma. Lesions are usually solitary and noted on the head and neck area, sacral region and dorsal aspect of the hands and feet. The cellular blue nevus was first described as a variant of melanoma. Later this was classified as a variant of blue nevus.
Controversy still arises over the precise distinction of atypical cellular blue nevi from melanoma.
The cellular blue nevus is a less common but often clinically similar lesion to the common blue nevus. These lesions tend to be large, usually measuring 1-3 cm in diameter. Lesions are usually solitary and noted on the buttocks, sacral region and occasionally on the dorsal aspect of the hands and feet. Blue nevi are most commonly found on skin. Rare cases of common blue nevi have been reported in the vagina, spermatic cord, uterine cervix, lymph node, prostate, oral mucosa and bronchus.