Lumps, Bumps & Cysts Treatment In Gainesville, FL
Human skin is subject to hundreds of different skin issues, including lumps, bumps, and cysts. In the majority of cases, these skin lesions are harmless, though some may be unslightly or be unappealing. We offer a broad range of skin care treatments. Among the most common benign skin growths include lipomas, sebaceous cysts, dilated pores, and seborrheic keratosis, among other types of lumps, bumps, and cysts.
Look and feel your best with John W. Tyrone, MD, PLLC, Plastic Surgery, offering advanced aesthetic treatments, including both surgical and non-surgical lesion removal, designed for your unique skin care needs. Contact us today to schedule a skin care appointment with our skin care specialists.
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Lipomas
A lipoma is a slow-growing, fatty tumor often within the subcutaneous layer of the body, between the skin and the underlying layer of muscle. Lipomas feel doughy and move readily with slight pressure. Most lipomas are not tender, though those pressing on nearby nerves or those containing multiple blood vessels can cause pain. Often appearing similar to cysts, lipomas are benign (non-cancerous) tumors of fat cells surrounded by a fibrous capsule. Some lipomas arise following blunt injury to the skin and they are thought to be hereditary, though the primary cause of a lipoma is not well understood.
Due to their appearance, lipomas are typically easy to diagnose, though your dermatologist may recommend a deep skin biopsy to ensure a proper diagnosis. Lipomas are typically less than 2 inches in diameter, but they may grow larger, and commonly occur in the neck, shoulders, back, abdomen, arms, and legs. Their harmless nature poses no risk to health, but lipomas that grow, are painful, or are bothersome may require lipoma excision, or lipoma removal.
Sebaceous Cysts
A sebaceous cyst, also known as an epidermoid cyst, is a common, noncancerous, small bump beneath the skin. While they may appear anywhere, they are most common on the face, neck, and torso. Slow growing and usually painless, epidermoid cysts are characterized by small, round bumps under the skin with tiny blackheads plugging the cysts’ central opening. A thick, yellow, smelling substance may drain from the cyst, and redness, swelling, and tenderness may develop if a cyst is infected or inflamed. These cysts originate from hair-clogged follicles from severe acne or skin-penetrating injuries. Most sebaceous cysts don’t require treatment, however, cyst excision may be required for cysts that grow rapidly, rupture, become painful or infected, occur in an area of the body that is constantly irritated, poses distress due to appearance, or is in an unusual location, such as the fingers and toes.
Dilated Pore Of Winer
A dilated pore is a noncancerous tumor of a hair follicle or sweat gland in the skin. Though the appearance of a dilated pore may be similar to that of a large blackhead, they are different types of skin lesions. Dilated pores are large lesions that look like a circle with a large, open area of a dark substance known as keratin, a hardened protein in the skin that is also a component of fingernails and hair. Usually much larger than a blackhead, a dilated pore of Winer appears as a single, enlarged pore with a black-toned plug at its center, surrounded by healthy normal-appearing skin.
These lesions typically appear on the head, neck, and face, though they may also appear on the trunk, particularly on back skin. The exact cause of dilated pores is unknown, though it is common in middle-aged individuals, particularly in white males over the age of 40. In rare cases, a dilated pore of Winer can appear similar to or co-occur with basal cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer). As a result, your skin professional may perform a biopsy to ensure the dilated pore isn’t symptomatic of an underlying skin condition. Dilated pores are not dangerous for health and shouldn’t cause pain, though they may be removed for cosmetic reasons. The most effective treatment method for a dilated pore is surgical removal or excision.
Keloid Scars
When the skin becomes injured, scar tissue forms over the wound to protect and repair the injury. In some cases following a skin injury, extra scar tissue may grow and form a smooth, hard growth called a keloid, which can be significantly larger than the original wounds. They are most commonly found on the cheeks, earlobes, shoulders, and chest, though they can affect skin on any part of the body. Symptoms of a keloid can include a localized area that is flesh-colored, pink, or red; a raised and lumpy or ridged area of skin; an area that continues to produce scar tissue over time; and an itchy patch of skin.
While keloid scars can be irritating and itchy, they aren’t typically harmful or dangerous. Those with these scars may experience discomfort, tenderness, and possible irritation due to friction produced from contact with clothing. In rare cases, keloid scarring can form on large areas of the body, resulting in restricted movement due to hardened and tight scar tissue. Our aesthetic clinic offers procedures designed to help restore the appearance of skin following a scar, including scar revision procedures. Other treatments may include injections of corticosteroids and other medicines, cryotherapy, and the use of silicone sheets and gels.
Moles
Moles, or nevi, are the most common type of skin lesion and are formed by clusters of the skin’s pigment-producing cells, or melanocytes. They may appear brown, black, blue, pink, or skin colored, and they are typically flat, though they may also be raised. While some individuals have moles at birth, moles usually develop during childhood and throughout middle age. The number of moles a person has is partially dictated by genetic factors, but it is also influenced by environmental factors, such as sun exposure.
Having many moles is among the strongest predictors of a high risk of skin cancer. While most moles are harmless, approximately 25 percent of melanomas arise from existing moles. Due to their potentially harmful nature, existing and new moles should be checked by a skin care professional on a regular basis. Whether you require mole removal due to cosmetic or health reasons, Dr. Tyrone or Dr. Khairalla will help determine the skin care treatment that’s most effective for treating your moles with minimal scarring.
Seborrheic Keratosis
Seborrheic keratosis is a harmless wart-like spot appearing during adult life as a normal part of skin aging. Some people may have one or two while others may have hundreds of them. These skin lesions are extremely common and occur in males and females of all races, typically starting from age 30–40. These lesions vary in appearance and can appear as a flat or raised papule or plaque; measure 1 millimeter or several centimeters in diameter; appear skin colored, yellow, gray, light brown, dark brown, black, or a mix of colors; have a smooth, waxy, or wart-like surface; and develop as a solitary lesion or a group of lesions in certain areas, such as the scalp, under the breasts, over the spine, or in the groin. Seborrheic keratosis appears to stick onto the skin’s surface as barnacles do on a ship or dock. Seborrheic keratoses are not precancerous growths, though skin cancers are at times difficult to distinguish from these growths, and though skin cancer may either by chance arise within or coincide with a seborrheic keratosis. Methods to remove seborrheic keratosis may include cryotherapy for thinner lesions, electrocautery or curettage, ablative laser surgery, shave biopsy, or focal chemical peel with trichloroacetic acid.
Neurofibromas
A neurofibroma is a type of nerve tumor that forms soft bumps either on or under the skin. They may develop within a major or minor nerve anywhere in the body. A common type of noncancerous nerve tumor, neurofibromas tend to form centrally within a nerve and sometimes arise from several nerve bundles. Symptoms of neurofibromas are often mild or absent, however, if a tumor presses against nerves or grows within them, they may cause pain or numbness in the affected area. A neurofibroma is usually noncancerous, but rarely, it may become cancerous. A neurofibroma may develop with no cause, or it may appear in those with neurofibromatosis type 1, a genetic condition. These nerve tumors are most often found in individuals 20-40 years of age. Treatment isn’t always required from a neurofibroma that appears as a single, small tumor, measuring less than an inch. For other cases, monitoring of the growth is required, as well as possible surgery to excise a tumor that is pressing on nearby tissues or damaging organs.
Folliculitis
Folliculitis is characterized by the inflammation or infection of hair follicles typically caused by a bacterial or fungal infection, though it may also occur due to chemical or physical irritation to follicles. The primary symptoms associated with folliculitis include small, red bumps at the site of the inflamed follicles, as well as tender, itchy, and/or burning sensations on the skin. Individuals with obesity, diabetes, and compromised immune systems have an increased risk of developing folliculitis, though it may affect anyone. Among two main types of folliculitis, superficial folliculitis occurs when only part of the follicle is damaged and includes bacterial folliculitis, hot tub (pseudomonas) folliculitis, razor bumps, and pityrosporum folliculitis.
The other common type of folliculitis is known as deep folliculitis, which occurs when the whole follicle is damaged, and include psychosis barbae, gram-negative folliculitis, eosinophilic folliculitis, and boils and carbuncles. Mild cases of folliculitis may go away without treatment. However, if self-care treatments prove unsuccessful, your dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic cream or pills; antifungal creams, shampoos, or pills (if fungal in nature); and a prescription topical steroid.