Atheroma is a cyst of the sebaceous gland of the skin in the form of a dense formation with clear contours. It can appear on any part of the body except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. But the most common parts of the body where atheroma can occur are:
- area near the ears;
- scalp;
- face;
- chest;
- back;
- genital area.
Atheromas are smooth to the touch, may vary in size, but more often have a rounded shape. Lesions are often caused by blocked sebaceous glands, ingrown hair follicles, and overproduction of the hormone testosterone. Hereditary causes of atheromas include Gardner's syndrome, basal cell nevus syndrome.
Often atheroma becomes a focus of infection and therefore becomes inflamed. A subcutaneous abscess is formed, which is accompanied by severe suppuration, which causes pain. The danger in such cases is that pus can break through under the skin. This can lead to serious complications.
It rarely happens that atheroma itself disappears without a trace. You should not start the disease in the hope that everything will disappear by itself. With small tumor sizes, difficulties intreatment should not occur.
Reasons
There are a number of possible causes for atheroma, including:
- blockage of sebaceous glands;
- metabolic disorder;
- increased levels of testosterone and steroids;
- trauma of the sebaceous glands (scratches, surgeries, skin condition after acne);
- genetic predisposition;
- microtrauma of hair follicles;
- poor personal hygiene.
Symptoms
Atheromas tend to grow slowly and are often painless, especially when they are small. The cyst is in a closed bag - a capsule. The main clinical manifestations of formations are:
- The presence of a round movable bump located above the surface of the skin.
- The cyst itself is painless, but the surrounding skin can be uncomfortable.
- Tumor size is usually 1 to 5 cm in diameter.
- Sometimes a cyst can have a small opening and look like a boil. In contrast, atheroma grows very slowly and for quite a long time. A boil, on the other hand, may disappear without treatment within a few weeks.
- Atheroma may ooze viscous yellow pus with an unpleasant odor.
- Swelling, redness and soreness may occur. This is a sign of inflammation or infection.
Diagnosis
Doctors often diagnose a cyst after a simple physical examination. If the cyst has unusual characteristics, the doctormay prescribe additional diagnostics to exclude the presence of cancer.
Common tests used to examine a sebaceous cyst include:
- Computed tomography, which helps the doctor to plan the optimal operation.
- Ultrasound. With this method, the content of the cyst is determined.
- Puncture biopsy. It involves taking a small amount of tissue from the cyst to be examined in the laboratory for signs of cancer.
Treatment
Atheroma is the type of formation that will not resolve itself. In view of this, conservative methods are usually used for treatment. Sometimes people who have discovered atheroma in themselves try to squeeze out education. However, not only will this not help get rid of the cyst, but it can also lead to serious complications, such as infection and inflammation. When squeezing out atheroma, the capsule will remain under the skin and after a while will be filled with pus again.
Currently, removal of atheroma on the head, chest, genitals or anywhere else is carried out in the following ways:
- Surgical method.
- Laser destruction.
- Radiofrequency excision.
These procedures are considered simple and therefore performed on an outpatient basis.
It is important to remember that, regardless of the method of removing atheroma, the formation must be removed along with the capsule. Otherwise, a relapse may occur.
Indications forremoval
There is no risk of atheroma malignancy. But the formation itself brings discomfort and an aesthetic defect, especially if it is located on open areas of the body or face. Among other things, there is a risk of injury and inflammation of atheroma. For these reasons, such cysts must be removed.
Contraindications
Like any other operation, atheroma removal has a number of contraindications, for example:
- oncology;
- pregnancy;
- diabetes mellitus;
- autoimmune diseases;
- herpetic infection in the acute stage.
Surgical removal
Surgical removal of atheroma is a simple operation performed on an outpatient basis. During the procedure, the doctor injects an anesthetic for local anesthesia into the tissues located around the atheroma. Then the atheroma is removed along with the capsule and the edges of the wound are sutured. Some surgeons do excision of atheroma with an electric knife. The operation takes only 30-40 minutes. Stitches are removed after 10-12 days. If the manipulation is carried out correctly, the scars from the operation will be minimal, and the wound will heal quickly.
In case of inflammation, surgical removal of atheroma is carried out in several stages. First, the contents of the capsule are removed and drainage is established. After the wound is cleaned, the capsule itself is removed.
After removing the atheroma, the patient receives some care instructions to promote healing. They include:
- using antibiotic ointment;
- refrain from showering for 36 hours;
- prevent the wound from getting wet and bleeding;
- If a cyst ruptures before or during surgery, antibiotics are prescribed to prevent inflammation and recurrence.
Laser removal
Removal of atheroma with a laser is a more modern method of dealing with cystic formations. It practically does not leave scars, which is especially important in the treatment of formations on the face. There are several methods for removing atheroma with a laser knife:
- Laser coagulation - cauterization of the capsule tissue. Used to remove small cysts up to 5 mm in diameter. At the end of the procedure, the cyst remains on the skin, so there are no stitches. After 2 weeks, the formation dries up and falls off, exposing a clean area of \u200b\u200bthe skin.
- Laser removal of the cyst together with the capsule is carried out by performing an incision with a laser scalpel. Used to remove cysts ranging in size from 5 to 20 mm. During the operation, an incision is made, the laser separates the cyst from he althy tissues. Then the formation is removed, drainage is established, and the wound is sutured. Stitches are removed after 7-12 days.
- Laser evaporation is used to remove cysts larger than 20 mm in diameter. First, the capsule is opened, its contents are carefully removed. After that, the capsule is evaporated by laser radiation. The operation ends with the installation of drainage and sutures, which are removed after 8-12 days.
The advantages of laser atheroma removal are:
- security;
- low risk of postoperative complications;
- quick recovery;
- no cosmetic defects;
- minimum risk of relapse.
Radio wave removal
Atheromas of small sizes up to 5 mm can also be removed by radio wave frequency. This method is the most effective and safe. With radio wave removal of atheroma, suturing is not required, respectively, there is no scarring on the skin.
The operation is performed under local anesthesia on an outpatient basis and takes about 15-20 minutes. Neoplasm cells are evaporated using special equipment that generates radio waves. Radio wave removal of atheroma is contraindicated in the presence of a pacemaker.
The advantages of this method are:
- no recurrence;
- no seams;
- quick recovery.
Recovery after surgery
Minimal discomfort may occur after the intervention, usually relieved by pain medication. During water procedures, it is not recommended to wet the wound surface and dressings. Within a month after the operation, you can massage and moisturize the scars with a special cream. Protect the affected area from direct sunlight for two years to prevent burns.
Prevention
The main reason for the formation of atheromas is a malfunction of the sebaceous glands. Thus, primary measures should be aimed atimplementation of a proper balanced diet and regular meticulous hygiene.
To minimize the likelihood of atheroma, the following preventive measures should be followed:
- eliminate fatty, sweet, spicy foods from the diet;
- carry out meticulous skin care;
- refuse to wear synthetic clothes;
- when washing, it is advisable to use cosmetics to reduce oily skin and scalp.
Patient testimonials
Reviews about the removal of atheroma are usually positive and can serve as a good argument in favor of timely contacting a specialist to solve problems with the neoplasm. Despite the fact that the operation is not traumatic, in any case, it is accompanied by excision of the skin. Otherwise, the cyst cannot be removed. Even the radio wave method involves a small incision. Accordingly, the larger the atheroma, the larger the postoperative scar will be. As a rule, the suture material quickly dissolves, within 1.5-2 months, it all depends on the location of the neoplasm, its size and condition. Atheroma recurrence occurs in case of incomplete removal of the cyst, when access to it is difficult due to suppuration.
In conclusion
It is worth noting that the degree of patient satisfaction with the results of the operation depends on the speed of its implementation: the earlier the atheroma is removed (respectively, the smaller its size), the less severe the consequences of surgical intervention in the form of scars andscars. When the first signs of atheroma appear, you should not wait a long time and postpone a visit to a specialist.
