Lipoma (popularly known as a wen) is one of the most common cosmetic defects. The appearance of such neoplasms on the body most often frightens patients, and they are looking for a way to quickly get rid of such a pathology, but first of all, you should find out what a wen is and why it is dangerous. The choice of therapy always depends on the symptoms of the pathology and the size of the neoplasm.
Basic concept
Lipoma is a benign tumor that is most often localized in the subcutaneous adipose tissue. This is where the popular name "fat" came from. Theoretically, these neoplasms can appear on any part of the body (on the legs, arms, back, neck). The only exceptions are the feet and hands.
Most of all, people are afraid of the danger of a wen on the head and face, but even in these cases they do not do much harm. Often lipomas are found on the internal organs of a person (on the lungs, stomach, liver). Some people have lipomas in their brain tissue during routine diagnostics.
Solo bysuch tissue growth does not cause unpleasant symptoms and is considered by many people as a cosmetic defect. To the question of whether wen on the body are dangerous, many doctors will answer in the negative. However, with such indicators, the question of the need for treatment of lipomas remains open. It is noted that benign tumors of this type can be harmless to humans only in certain cases.
Causes of lipomas
Doctors name several main reasons why wen can appear on the human body.
- Wrong diet. Unlimited consumption of fatty foods, canned food, convenience foods and fast food leads to metabolic disorders. This is explained by the intake of harmful substances into the body, which accumulate in the tissues and contribute to the growth of lipomas.
- Age. Most patients with this diagnosis are people older than 30-40 years. At a young age, such neoplasms also occur, but the risk is much lower.
- Mechanical damage. Lipomas sometimes occur in areas of soft tissue damage (burns, severe bruises). Such changes occur with impaired cell nutrition.
- Genetic predisposition. The risk of finding a wen on the body increases in those people whose close relatives also suffer from this disease.
- Diseases of the internal organs. With the appearance of wen, it is worth checking the work of the liver, kidneys, organs of the endocrine system. In such cases, questions about whether wen on the body are dangerous usually fade into the background, since treatment is the first priority.major diseases.
- Sedentary lifestyle, sedentary work. Due to stagnation of blood, tissue nutrition is disrupted, which can lead to the appearance of neoplasms.
Lipoma symptoms
The peculiarity of this pathology is that a person does not have pain or discomfort in the area of lipoma formation. If the wen is located on the arms, legs, back or other part of the body, then it looks like a tubercle that rises above the surface of the skin. On palpation, the relative softness of the neoplasm can be noted. The lipoma capsule is movable. When pressed, a person does not feel pain or discomfort.
With lipomas located on the internal organs, a person also does not have complaints related to the disruption of the work of this organ. Such neoplasms can only be detected during ultrasound or computed tomography.
Despite the fact that a lipoma often does not cause inconvenience, a person should undergo an examination to clarify the analysis. This need is explained by the fact that the neoplasm that has appeared may not be a lipoma, but another pathology. For example, atheroma at the initial stage of development or an inflamed lymph node. Such manifestations have more serious consequences compared to the dangers of wen on the human body.
Lipoma on head or face
Often, doctors are asked if a wen on the head is dangerous. This manifestation does not differ much from neoplasms located on other parts of the body. For this reason, reasons forthere shouldn't be any worry. A cosmetic defect can be de alt with using modern methods of treatment. However, this only applies to cases where the wen does not hurt or become inflamed.
What if a lipoma causes pain
The lipoma itself does not cause pain or discomfort, so if this area bothers a person, there is a risk of complications. This happens in one of the following cases:
- Inflammatory process. If bacteria have entered the capsule of the lipoma, inflammation may begin here. This development of events often occurs after an attempt to self-open a wen.
- Misdiagnosed. In some cases, an inflamed lymph node may be mistaken for a lipoma.
- Rebirth into a malignant tumor. Under the influence of certain factors, lipoma cells can transform into cancer cells. This is one of the explanations for why a wen on the body is dangerous.
- Squeezing nerve endings. If a lipoma has formed in the region of the spine, it can cause intervertebral hernia and compress the nerve roots, which, in turn, causes pain. What is dangerous for a wen on the back is that with the growth of the tumor, the person's condition will worsen.
When to treat a lipoma
Many people do not go to the doctor when small neoplasms appear on the body due to the absence of unpleasant symptoms. Women with this problem often visit cosmetologists for laser removal of wen.
Doctors advise not to delay treatment in several cases:
- Lipoma causes pain. Pain syndrome can appear both as a result of touching this area, and at rest.
- Large neoplasm. In this case, the tumor disrupts normal blood circulation and tissue nutrition.
- Unaesthetic appearance. When asked about the danger of a wen on the neck, doctors answer: nothing, but its appearance on open parts of the body causes discomfort and self-doubt.
- Limited movement. If a large tumor is localized in the armpit, on the neck or in the groin, this hinders movement.
- Neoplasm on the genitals in men and women. In this area, the skin is much thinner, so there is a high risk of a wen breakthrough. In this case, pathogenic bacteria most often enter the open wound, causing an inflammatory process.
Minimally invasive removal methods
After highlighting the issues of what a wen is and why it is dangerous, you should also consider ways to remove the neoplasm.
Lipomas of small sizes (up to 3 cm in diameter) can be removed with a special preparation. Such a procedure should be carried out only in medical rooms or in specialized salons.
In order to get rid of the neoplasm, an injection containing a drug is injected into the cavity of the lipoma. Under the influence of this agent, the contents of the lipoma are absorbed. The advantage of this approach is that traces from the medicalinterference will not be noticeable. However, there is a risk that the lipoma will reappear in the same location.
For larger lesions, other therapies should be used:
- Liposuction. During this procedure, the doctor makes an incision about 5 mm long. A lipoaspirator tube is inserted into this hole, with the help of which all the contents are pumped out of the capsule. Due to the slight damage to the soft tissues, the suture remains almost invisible, but doctors cannot guarantee the absence of a recurrence.
- Laser removal. This procedure is performed with anesthesia and gives a good effect. The advantage of this approach is the absence of a scar at the site of removal. For this reason, laser treatment is recommended for lipomas on the face and exposed areas of the body. However, this procedure is not suitable for removing lipomas located in deep subcutaneous layers.
After removing the contents of the capsule, it is sent for histological examination. It is necessary to study the features of the neoplasm. Thanks to this analysis, it is possible to determine whether wen are dangerous on the human body and whether there is a degeneration into a malignant tumor.
Surgical removal
Many patients categorically refuse surgery because they are afraid of complications. For this reason, doctors are often asked whether it is dangerous to remove wen on the body through surgery.
To understand this, one should name the features of surgical removal. Among the advantages of this procedure arethe following points:
- Removal of lipomas of any size. If minimally invasive methods allow you to get rid of only small tumors (3-5 cm in diameter), then only surgery is suitable for larger tumors.
- You can remove even those wen that are deep in the tissues. The laser cannot cope with such cases.
- No recurrence. After the operation on this site, there is never a recurrence of the wen.
At the same time, the disadvantage of such treatment should also be indicated - after the operation, a scar remains on the skin.
Lipoma treatment at home
There are several ways to get rid of lipomas on your own, but doctors warn that this should not be done at home. Speaking about whether it is dangerous to remove a wen, first of all it is necessary to mention a possible infection. At the slightest suspicion of an inflammatory process, you should immediately consult a doctor.
The principle of treatment is to apply the drug to the affected area in a sufficiently thick layer, and then stick a plaster or occlusive dressing on this area. In the form of a compress, the medicine should be in contact with the skin for a long time, for example all night.
You need to repeat this procedure daily until the lipoma opens. After that, a small wound will appear on the skin, from which liquid (the contents of the capsule) will protrude.
Doctors warn: a bandage is the main requirement for the treatment of wen at home. She performs severalfunctions:
- keeps the ointment on the skin;
- prevents the drug from coming into contact with air (this helps to achieve maximum effect);
- blocks the access of pathological microorganisms that can cause inflammation.
Treatment with Vishnevsky ointment. The composition of this drug contains an antibacterial substance. This is important, since the medicine will protect the wound from the penetration of pathogenic microflora. Birch tar activates blood circulation in the affected area and improves tissue nutrition. Castor oil helps soften tissues and improves drug penetration.
The ointment is applied in a thick layer to the area of the lipoma and a bandage is applied. The duration of therapy is 6-7 days, during which time the neoplasm will open.
Ichthyol ointment. The activity of the drug is explained by the presence of the antibacterial component of ichthyol in the composition. It is able to penetrate deep into soft tissues and eliminate foci of inflammation, fight wen.
The remedy is used by analogy with Vishnevsky's ointment, however, the duration of the course in this case must be increased. A good therapeutic effect is achieved in 10-14 days.
Treatment with Asterisk. About 30-40 years ago, doctors also knew well what a wen is and why it is dangerous. This pathology was often treated with Asterisk ointment. This recipe can be used now. Such a drug has a low price and good efficacy. The therapeutic effect is achieved through extracts and essential oils.medicinal plants. The duration of application in each case may be different. Sometimes it takes about a month for the lipoma to resolve.
Using hydrogen peroxide. This is an affordable, simple and cheap remedy that helps get rid of small lipomas. Due to its active composition, the product quickly dissolves the wen capsule with its contents.
To combat the neoplasm, a small piece of cotton wool is moistened in peroxide and applied to the sore spot. A patch is glued on top. Such a compress should be on the skin for about 40 minutes. You need to repeat the procedure every day.
Treatment of lipoma with folk remedies
Before you start self-treatment, a person should know what a wen is and why it is dangerous. It is also important to visit a doctor to clarify the diagnosis. All of these traditional medicine recipes can only be used to treat lipomas. Other diseases with similar symptoms are strongly discouraged from being treated in this way.
Aloe leaves. To combat neoplasms, you can use an aloe leaf. To prepare the medicine, a small piece of the leaf is cut off, it is peeled, the resulting pulp is crushed. Apply aloe in the form of a compress for the whole night. You need to repeat this procedure every day until the problem disappears.
Onion with soap. The medium onion is peeled and baked in the oven until soft. After that, it can be crushed (for example, knead with a fork) and add 1 tsp to the gruel. grated laundry soap. After thorough mixing, the mass is applied to the area of the wen. It is best to do this at night. Many people ask the question of whether it is dangerous to remove a wen in this way. When choosing this method, doctors recommend carefully monitoring the condition of the lipoma.
Tincture of burdock roots. This remedy is different in that it must be taken not in the form of compresses, but inside. To prepare the drug, you need 100 g of burdock roots. Raw materials are crushed and pour 150 ml of vodka. The liquid is placed in a glass container (bottle or jar). In this form, they are stored in a dark place for 30 days. Periodically, the jar is taken out and shaken vigorously. Take the finished tincture 3 times a day, 30 ml before meals.
Oil with vodka. In a small container, mix the same amount of vegetable oil and vodka (about 30 ml each). The resulting composition is applied to the sore spot and covered with cling film on top. This procedure is best done at night, as the composition must be in contact with the skin for a long time. In the morning, the remnants of the product should be carefully washed off with water. Intensively rubbing the skin in this place should not be, as the skin becomes thinner and easily damaged.
It is impossible to completely protect yourself from this pathology, but there are effective ways to reduce the risk of tumor formation. To do this, you need to consume less junk food, lead an active lifestyle and reduce the amount of alcoholic beverages and cigarettes consumed.
