Each person who has discovered a neoplasm of unknown origin on his body is worried about whether it is dangerous. If it is painless, mobile and is localized directly under the skin, this is a wen. In medicine, this neoplasm is denoted by the term "lipoma". Information on how to treat a wen should be provided by a doctor. This is due to the fact that it can grow into the deeper layers of the skin and even into the muscles, which threatens the occurrence of complications. Contrary to popular belief, subcutaneous adipose tissue on the body is extremely rarely degenerated into malignant tumors.
What it is?
Currently, the mechanism of formation of lipomas is not fully understood. The following versions are considered the most likely:
- Overlapping the ducts of the sebaceous glands with a scar or their destruction. At the same time, excess secretion occurs simultaneously with blockage. This theory explains the formation of single neoplasms, but not lipomatosis (a large number of adipose tissue throughout the body).
- Local metabolic disturbances. A substance is synthesized inside the fat cell, which reduces the rate of transformation of cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides. As a result, at the local level, there is a failure in lipolytic processes, due to which the formation of subcutaneous neoplasms occurs.
According to statistics, adipose is most often diagnosed in middle-aged people, but can also appear in young people.
There are many different syndromes associated with a particular localization of lipomas. Each of them requires treatment, since neoplasms can compress blood vessels, nerve endings, etc. The most common are the following:
- Madelung's syndrome. It is characterized by the presence of multiple wen, located symmetrically. Lipomas can be localized on the neck, back of the head, less often on the trunk and limbs. With an increase in size, they compress the nerve endings, blood vessels, and upper respiratory tract.
- Gram's Syndrome. Multiple lipomatosis that occurs against the background of excess body weight. In this case, fat is deposited mainly in the area of the knee joints.
- Roche-Leri lipomatosis. It is characterized by the presence of many wen, located symmetrically in the following parts of the body: thighs, lower back, shoulders and abdomen.
- Gottorn lipogranulomatosis. Most common among female patients suffering from obesity and hypertension. The fat workers in this case are located on their feet.
- Derkum's syndrome. The formation of lipomas in this case can be associated with pain and itching.
- Verney-Poten lipomatosis. Wen are localized in the area above the collarbone. As a rule, they are large.
Regarding whether the adipose found on the body is dangerous, doctors say that it’s not always. It extremely rarely degenerates into a malignant tumor, but is a cosmetic defect, which must be eliminated. In addition, a lipoma can increase in size and grow into muscle tissue, which can cause complications. Timely contacting a specialist will help to avoid them.
Types of Lipomas
From the point of view of histology, adipose can be:
- Classic.
- Combined.
In the first case, they consist solely of adipose tissue.
Combined can have the following varieties:
- Fibrolipoma - it also includes connective tissue.
- Myolipoma - in addition to fat cells, the neoplasm is represented by muscle fibers.
- Angiolipoma - in the process of its formation, blood vessels are involved.
- Myxolipoma - its composition includes mucous tissue.
- Myelolipoma - the neoplasm is represented by fat and hematopoietic cells.
As a rule, they form directly under the skin. In rare cases, they occur in muscle and nerve tissue, in internal organs, in the mammary glands, in the membranes of the brain.
Causes
Before treating a wen, it is necessary to find out why it appeared. This information helps to avoid the re-formation of lipomas.
In most cases, the causes of the adipose are the following factors:
- insufficient or improper skin care;
- local injury of a chemical, mechanical or thermal nature;
- self-squeezing black dots and purulent acne;
- prolonged exposure to stress;
- overweight;
- hypothermia;
- infectious diseases;
- hereditary predisposition;
- pathology of the liver and pancreas;
- malignant neoplasms located in the upper respiratory tract;
- violation of the thyroid gland;
- excessive consumption of alcohol-containing drinks;
- hormonal imbalance;
- diabetes;
- circulatory disturbance;
- unbalanced nutrition;
- deficiency of vital vitamins and minerals;
- malfunction of the digestive system;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- smoking;
- drug addiction.
Associated symptoms
Due to the presence of the capsule, the lipoma formation process is not associated with trauma to the surrounding tissues. The neoplasm only contributes to their displacement. Due to this, a wen in most cases does not hurt and does not bother a person, unless the lipoma is located on the face (in this case, he experiences psychological discomfort).
With growth, the neoplasm can become painful, locally the body temperature rises. The severity of symptoms becomes brighter, the stronger the wen compresses the nervous, muscle or connective tissue. As a rule, severe pain occurs when a lipoma grows to a huge size. At the same time, the appearance of the skin remains unchanged, it retains both elasticity and its normal color.
Which doctor should I go to?
If you have one or more small wen, it is recommended to visit a beautician. This is especially true for people whose lipomas are located on the face. Remove small wen near the eyes, lips and nose to his strength. If the specialist suspects that these are not lipomas, he will recommend seeking qualified medical help.
When the neoplasm is very large or there are many, it is necessary to consult a surgeon or oncologist. The doctor will choose the best method for removing wen, based on the results of the examination.
Diagnostics
At the initial appointment, a specialist examines the patient and palpates the neoplasm. Before starting to treat a wen, he must make sure the tumor is benign.
For this, the surgeon or oncologist draws up a referral for a blood test, he is interested in the following indicators:
- cholesterol;
- low density lipoproteins;
- triacylglycerols;
- beta lipoproteins.
The results of the study of liquid connective tissue are only of indirect importance, since lipomas are often formed at a normal level of the above substances. If a malignant pathology is suspected, it is also necessary to donate blood to tumor markers.
In order to exclude the presence of a serious disease and to understand how to treat a wen, the doctor prescribes an examination using instrumental diagnostic methods:
- Ultrasound In the process of its implementation, the structure is evaluated and the size of the lipoma is determined, and the depth of its germination is also revealed.
- CT Using this method, you can additionally find out the density of the wen, as well as the nature of its connection with nearby organs.
- MRI The most modern diagnostic method, providing the most complete and reliable information regarding an existing tumor. Based on the results of magnetic resonance imaging, the doctor can always make an accurate diagnosis and decide how to treat a wen.
Conservative treatment
The cells that make up the neoplasm do not participate in the process of lipid metabolism. Even if the body weight of a person decreases significantly, this will not lead to a decrease in the size of the wen. It can only grow under the influence of various adverse factors.
To date, there is not a single drug that effectively eliminates lipomas. Contrary to popular belief, there are no injections, medicinal creams and ointments from wen on the face, trunk, extremities, etc. To prevent the growth of lipomas, you can use alternative methods, but getting rid of the neoplasm is possible only by operational methods.
Surgical intervention
Many people are interested in information on whether it is possible to squeeze a wen out on their own. This cannot be done categorically, since with the help of such manipulation it is impossible to completely remove lipid cells. In addition, there is a risk of infection in the wound, which subsequently significantly complicates the work of the surgeon. Removal of the wen should only occur in a hospital.
Currently, lipomas can be eliminated by the following surgical methods:
- Laser It is used if the size of the neoplasm does not exceed 5 cm. The operation is performed under local anesthesia and is considered sparing, since after laser removal the risk of secondary infection joining is minimal. In addition, the wound heals in a short time and this process is not accompanied by the formation of a scar. The only drawback of the method is that it is impossible to conduct a histological examination of the removed tissue.
- Radio wave. It is considered a great alternative to the laser method. The method has all its advantages. In addition, the removed tissue can be subjected to histological analysis.
- Endoscopic. Its essence is as follows: with the help of equipment, the wen is destroyed, after which it is aspirated. This method excludes the possibility of researching removed cells.
- Open. This is a standard operation using a scalpel. This method is used only if the lipoma is huge. Its essence is to dissect the skin and extract the lipoma along with the capsule. After this, the wound is sutured, and a noticeable scar remains in its place.
In most cases, the formation of a wen is not accompanied by the development of any disorders in the body. As a rule, they are a cosmetic problem. Absolute indications for surgical removal are: permanent trauma, restriction of motor activity, compression of blood vessels and nerve endings, impaired blood outflow and suppuration resulting from infection.
Unconventional methods
Treatment of wen with folk remedies is usually an ungrateful task. Nevertheless, since these methods exist, of course, you can try.
The most effective folk remedies for the treatment of wen:
- Take 1 medium onion and bake it in the oven. After that, it is necessary to knead it and add 1 tbsp to the resulting mass. l shavings of laundry soap. The tool should be used as a compress, it needs to be changed twice a day. The mass must be stored in the refrigerator.
- Melt 1 tbsp. l lard and add 1 tsp. juice of garlic. The resulting product needs to be treated with a wen several times a day.
- Grate beets and put the resulting mass on a lipoma. Top must be covered with polyethylene and fixed with adhesive plaster.
- Grind burdock root as much as possible in an amount of 300 g, then pour it with 0.5 l of medical alcohol. Remove the container in a dark place. Every few days, it must be shaken. Duration of infusion is 1 month. After the specified time, the product must be filtered and taken 2 times a day half an hour before the meal. The course of treatment is no more than 14 days.
After about a week of regular use of folk methods, a small lipoma is opened independently. Is it possible to squeeze a wen in this case? Experts still recommend making an appointment with a surgeon who will remove the neoplasm with a minimal risk of wound infection. In addition, the independent disposal of lipomas increases the likelihood of the formation of a new one after some time.
Finally
Zhirovik is a neoplasm of a benign nature. It is quite soft, mobile, and rarely provokes the occurrence of pain. In most cases, lipomas cause only psychological discomfort to a person, but they can also grow and squeeze blood vessels and nerve endings. Information on how to remove a wen should only be obtained from an oncologist or surgeon. This is due to the fact that a lipoma can be confused with a serious illness and self-medication to harm the body.
In this regard, we can draw the following conclusion: it is unlikely that it will be possible to withdraw a wen on its own. It must be remembered that completely getting rid of a lipoma and preventing its reappearance is possible only by surgical methods.