Melanocytic nevi appear predominantly on sun-exposed body parts. 1-3 Total body counts of MN increase from almost zero at birth 4 to a peak value near age 16 years. The present study sought to elucidate the role of sunlight by investigating total body nevi in a white population that experiences minimal sun exposure.
Hutterite society is a Christian sect with a rural, communal, agrarian lifestyle.
This religious group was chosen for this study because of its strict adherence to a dress code. Traditional clothing worn by all members covers all areas of the body except the face and hands, with occasional exposure of forearms because the members wear rolled-up or short sleeves. One would predict that the total number of MN would be lower in Hutterite children than in children from a population without a comparable dress code. Lesions were counted as MN if they were junction, compound, halo, blue, hairy, or spilus nevi, and were at least 2 mm in diameter. Size was determined by overlaying a transparent plastic card and comparing the lesion with a reference 2-mm circle punched out in the center of the card.