Fordyce granules - what is it, what are the signs of this ailment, the possible causes of the appearance and existing methods of treatment? It is these issues that we will devote to the article.
General information
Fordyce granules, or the so-called seborrheic cysts, are sebaceous glands that appear in the form of light pimples on the skin of the genital organs (penis, lips, etc.), as well as in the groin, lips, nipples, mucous membrane of the mouth, etc. .
History reference
The name of such formations came from the name of the famous scientist Fordyce, who described these cysts back in 1896. It should be noted that Fordyce granules never cause any harm to health. In addition, they are not contagious, are not transmitted during bodily contact and are considered quite normal formations. But at the same time, there are still cases when patients with such manifestations turn to doctors for help. However, this only happens when Fordyce granules are a noticeable cosmetic defect.
Causes of occurrence
At the moment, scientists still do not fully understand why such granules are formed on the skin and mucous membranes. Communication with seborrhea is also not observed, because the name "seborrheic cysts" is only a translation defect. It is most correct to call Fordyce granules on the labia and other parts of the body by the visible ducts of the sebaceous glands.
As for seborrhea, in patients with this diagnosis there is a significant change in the composition of subcutaneous fat. In the future, such a deviation leads to the fact that the ducts of the sebaceous gland become clogged, as a result of which cysts are formed, which in their appearance are very similar to Fordyce granules. The treatment of this disease boils down to the fact that the patient is prescribed various ointments and creams that contain sulfur, salicylic acid, and sometimes even hormones. In addition, with oily seborrhea, a doctor may recommend such drugs as Chloral Hydrate and Resorcinol, as well as other medicines used in the form of alcohol solutions.
It should be noted that Fordyce granules on the penis, testes and other places in most cases appear during puberty. This pattern led scientists to the fact that the cause of the appearance of seborrheic cysts is that the sebaceous glands in some people are located closer to the upper layer of the epidermis than is normal. Thus, a child from birth has a special structure and arrangement of ducts. But during puberty (at about thirteen to sixteen years) under the influence of hormones (most often it is about male sex hormones), there is a slight increase in the activity of the glands, resulting in significantly increased fat formation. This process leads to the fact that the so-called Fordyce granules on the testes or other parts of the body become visible.
By the way, in such people there is a significant increase in the number of ducts of the glands (sebaceous). In this regard, similar cysts are formed much more often in them, because in this case the secretion of glands is not excreted, but accumulates inside the cavity, which ultimately leads to a cosmetic defect.
The appearance of the granules
To distinguish Fordyce granules from seborrhea, you should definitely know how they look. As you know, such cysts resemble small (about one to two millimeters in diameter), slightly convex spots of yellowish-white color, which are most often located in groups near the border of the lips, in the head of the penis, on the testicles, foreskin, on the mucous membranes of the cavity mouth (sometimes even the eye and eyelids), as well as on the skin of the labia majora.
It is worth noting that such cysts are painless and numerous. It is almost impossible to get rid of them yourself. When pressing on the granules from the cavity, only a small amount of a thick yellowish-white mass is released. After that, minor bleeding occurs on the spot with the formation of a small hematoma around the granule. After some time, a similar formation appears again at the site of the extruded cyst.
Varieties of Pellets
Currently, Fordyce granules are divided into two types:
- pearly nodules on the penis;
- Fox Fordyce disease.
Consider the causes of the appearance and features of such cysts in more detail.
Pearly Papules on the Penis
Fordyce granules on the foreskin are a variant of the norm. According to statistics, such manifestations are found in almost thirty-five percent of young men. These papules do not cause any harm to health, do not cause complications, and also never transmitted sexually. In medical practice, the presented problem has been little studied, and therefore effective therapy regarding such manifestations simply does not exist today.
By the way, the experts also could not identify the reason for the appearance of this variety. Although some scientists believe that these papules are formed as a result of excessive proliferation of the epithelium of the ducts of the sebaceous glands located on the penis. One cannot ignore the fact that in some nations practicing circumcision such formations are extremely rare. This fact is due to the fact that an increased amount of smegma and secretion, which, due to their chemical and physical properties, irritate the epithelium of the penis and cause the growth of papules, are washed off faster during hygiene procedures.
Fox Fordyce Disease
Fordyce granules on the lips (genital) are an analogue of pearly papules on the head of the penis, but only in women. The clinic of such a deviation is absolutely identical to the clinic of formations on the testicles and foreskin. This lesion most often occurs in the apocrine sweat glands and is to some extent associated with the genitourinary apparatus. The cause of Fox-Fordyce disease in women lies in the endocrine origin. Such rashes most often occur on the pubis, perineum, axillary fossa, around the nipples and on the labia majora. As a rule, Fordyce granules in the fair sex are manifested together with mild skin itching, which often intensifies during menstruation. The course of this disease is long, but often everything goes spontaneously by the age of forty.
Differentiation of Fordyce Pellets
The presented rashes, as well as their varieties (Fox-Fordyce disease and papules on the penis) should be distinguished with such ailments:
- neurodermatitis;
- molluscum contagiosum ;
- flat red lichen;
- focal chronic eczema.
No additional diagnostic methods for making a medical diagnosis, except for a visual examination by a specialist, as well as the exclusion of other diseases, are not required.
Pellet Treatment
As mentioned above, there is currently no official therapy for such a deviation. But still, some experts are trying to find ways to solve this problem. Although such treatment is controversial and unconfirmed.
As a rule, to eliminate this cosmetic defect, some doctors recommend using Retin-A cream and jojoba oil. According to experts, such means, with their prolonged use, remove fresh Fordyce granules, and also prevent the possible emergence of new ones. As for the old papules, they are rather successfully treated by laser cauterization.
Surgical removal of such rashes is almost never used, because such a method is the most radical. Self-removal of granules using conventional extrusion is absolutely unacceptable. This is due to the fact that such self-medication can lead to a strong inflammatory process with further scarring of the skin.
It is also worth noting that the therapy of granules that form around the border of the lips quite often comes down to permanent tattooing, because in some cases such localization is an aesthetic problem. At the same time, by the age of thirty, most of these elements lose their bulge and brightness, and they also become less noticeable. This fact is associated with a certain decrease in the formation of sex hormones and the activity of the sebaceous glands.