Multiples in dermatology: markers for special considerations in diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis

Multiples of certain cutaneous lesions should alert the clinician to a wider differential diagnosis and possible systemic associations although the individual skin lesion is often benign in nature and banal in appearance. This article focuses on such findings in selected multiple cutaneous lesions that may be classified according to the primary cutaneous feature as vascular, pigmentary, nevoid hamartomas, and tumors/neoplastic conditions. The clinical presentation of each entity and its significance, appropriate diagnostic evaluation, therapeutic and prognostic considerations and pertinent differential diagnoses will be reviewed.