Atheroma and the causes of its occurrence, modern methods of therapy

Symptoms

Atheromas do not have characteristic clinical symptoms (see photo), since they do not tend to change the surface, do not cause pain, causing only cosmetic inconvenience.
In general, dermatologists characterize the wen as follows:

The wen can be moved a little if desired;
Above the formation is normal healthy skin;
The cyst has a clearly defined contour;
A clearly defined bulge lying on the skin surface;
On palpation, the elastic and dense structure of the cyst is felt;
In the center of the formation there is a characteristic black dot.

If the wen becomes inflamed, the following symptoms occur:

There is pain when touched;
In the area of the wen, the tissues swell;
The formation turns red;
At times, purulent exudate breaks out.

In general, dermatologists characterize the wen as follows:

Emergency surgery is required for:

Infection.
Inflammation.
Development of an abscess.

In these cases, the treatment of atheroma is as follows: it is not removed, it is opened, the pus is cleaned out, washed and drainage is installed. Antibiotics are prescribed during the postoperative period. To avoid relapse, the tumor is removed 3 months after surgical opening and complete healing.

What causes a neoplasm?

Violation of metabolic processes. The consequence is a change in the nature of the secretions of the sebaceous glands, which leads to blockage of their ducts.
Increased sweating together with hormonal changes in the body, which externally manifests itself as acne.
Trauma resulting in damage to the sebaceous gland duct.
Swelling of the hair follicle.
An increase in the thickness of the secretion of the sebaceous gland, which disrupts its normal outflow.

The laser method will help to avoid surgical intervention, thanks to which the atheroma is opened, its cells are cut off layer by layer, after which the abscess cavity is treated. This method is effective in cases where the tumor-like formation is small in size.

Reasons for development

Atheroma occurs due to blockage of the sebaceous duct. Because of this, its contents cannot come out, but begin to accumulate in its skin layer. As a result, the duct begins to gradually increase in size. This can be facilitated by:

Neglect of hygiene rules. Dust, drops of sweat, dirt particles and other substances that settle on the skin throughout the day must be removed from it regularly. Otherwise, blockage of the sebaceous ducts will be inevitable.
Mechanical damage to the skin. Particles of exfoliated epithelium can penetrate the sebaceous gland and clog it.
Hormonal imbalance (especially occurring against the background of increased levels of male sex hormones). They increase the viscosity of subcutaneous secretions, which leads to the formation of atheromas.
Cystic fibrosis. This pathology often causes the formation of cysts in the excretory ducts of the skin. This happens, as in the previous case, due to an increase in the viscosity of the secreted secretion. But, fortunately, this disease is very rare.
The postmenopausal period in women is accompanied by serious hormonal changes, as a result of which estrogen levels decrease. This can affect both the composition and consistency of subcutaneous fat.

In rare cases, atheroma develops in a child's ear. This anomaly is congenital. The neoplasm is usually located in the front part of the auricle, and its shape resembles a small ball. The cause of atheroma is considered to be a defect in the development of the skin of the ear. But it is safe for the child’s health, and such a “ball” does not cause any other defects.

Causes of atheroma

There are 2 main causes of skin cysts – external and internal. External causes include human working and living conditions, as well as poor ecology.

Internal factors include metabolic disorders and hormonal imbalances in the body. This can lead to a person's skin condition being very deplorable. Multiple acne, pimples and other unsightly formations. In addition, with increased production of sebum by the sebaceous glands, blockage of the excretory duct of the hair follicle can occur. Multiple atheromas can appear on any part of the body where there is hair. This disease most often appears on the scalp, arms or torso.

When the orifice is blocked, sebaceous gland secretions begin to accumulate in the hair follicle, and the cyst can increase significantly in size. In some cases, an excretory duct remains on the atheroma, and the contents of the atheroma may periodically leak. A characteristic feature of these benign formations is that they may not grow for a long time, remaining small and almost invisible. Or quickly reach large sizes.

Symptoms and signs of atheroma

Atheroma looks like a round, soft neoplasm that can have different sizes. Typically, the tumor does not cause discomfort or pain. To the touch it is quite dense and mobile. A blocked sebaceous duct may be visible in the center.

Atheroma contains a mushy, whitish mass. Often such neoplasms are not single, but multiple. Sometimes the formation grows to a large size (4-5 cm in diameter), which creates aesthetic discomfort for a person.

Atheroma can be primary (congenital) and secondary (acquired).

Congenital atheromas are benign multiple neoplasms, the localization of which is the scalp or the scrotum in men. When palpated, their softness, density, and slight displacement towards the surrounding tissues are noted.
Secondary atheromas are formed when the sebaceous glands of the skin expand. Violation of the outflow of subcutaneous sebum often occurs against the background of acne or oily seborrhea. When palpated, compactness is noted at the location of the atheroma, and slight pain is possible. If you examine the skin in the area where the tumor is localized, you will notice that it has a pale bluish tint.

When exposed to predisposing factors or when the atheroma is injured, suppuration may occur, which can subsequently lead to a subcutaneous abscess. In this case, the patient will complain about:

pain in the area of atheroma;
swelling and hyperemia of the skin;
increased body temperature;
general weakness and malaise.

Often the abscess opens on its own. This process is accompanied by the release of copious amounts of sebum-like contents mixed with pus.

Diagnosis of atheroma does not create any particular difficulties. The diagnosis is made based on the patient’s complaints and visual examination of the location of the tumor. But additionally, differential diagnostic methods can be carried out to distinguish atheroma from fibroma or lipoma.

Risk factors for atheroma formation

Atheroma can occur in absolutely any person, without exception. Tumor formation begins in those places where the outflow of sebum is impaired. As a result, waste products, dead cells, dust, and sebum accumulated in the skin layer lead to the formation of a small tumor - atheroma.

In some, atheroma appears after certain hormonal changes have occurred in the body (for example, changes in the body during adolescence or in women during pregnancy). Hormonal imbalance almost always leads to a malfunction of the excretory function.

Factors that provoke the development of atheroma are:

Living in a polluted environment;
Unfavorable difficult professional working conditions;
Violation of personal hygiene rules (a person does not thoroughly cleanse the skin every day, as is customary);
Constant use of antiperspirants that block the sebaceous glands not only from sweat secretion, but also from sebum secretion;
Improper skin care (use of low-quality or inappropriate shampoos, creams, masks, etc.).

What does atheroma look like: before and after photos

If the atheroma is not inflamed, then upon visual assessment one can note the presence of only a small compaction on the skin, which has a rounded shape. Localization of the cyst makes it easy to see even for the patient himself, if it is not located in the scalp or in another hard-to-reach area of the body.

Atheroma can range in size from 0.5 to 20 cm in diameter, and sometimes more. The longer a person ignores the problem, the larger the tumor-like formation will become.

Possible complications

Often, atheroma is completely painless and asymptomatic, without causing any discomfort to the person. But sooner or later, lack of treatment can lead to:

spontaneous opening of a neoplasm with subsequent formation of ulcers or wounds;
formation of a subcutaneous abscess;
the formation of a dense capsule around the suppuration.

It is extremely rare that atheromas degenerate into malignant skin tumors. But most doctors completely deny this possibility.

The most common complication is the formation of an abscess. This can happen against the background of:

neglect of hygiene rules;
frequent damage to the tumor when combing, using a hair brush, wearing hats, etc.;
self-medication of atheroma with dubious methods and means not agreed with the doctor;
the presence of concomitant pathologies - erysipelas of the skin, dermatitis, furunculosis, etc.

When the atheroma begins to fester, it gradually increases in size. The skin on its surface becomes red, swollen, and stretched. If the cyst is located superficially, its whitish contents can be clearly seen. Severe pain appears, as a result of which the patient is forced to consult a doctor.

Any attempts to squeeze out the abscess lead to the development of abscessing atheroma. The disease causes severe pain, causes swelling of the soft tissues around the tumor and enlargement of the lymph nodes in the area of the pathological process. At the same time, signs of general intoxication of the body appear quite clearly.

In especially severe cases, pathogenic bacteria from the cyst penetrate the systemic bloodstream and spread throughout the body. This leads to the development of sepsis - blood poisoning. Based on this, you should not try to squeeze out the atheroma yourself under any circumstances.

How to recognize pathology?

Many people do not know what atheroma looks like and mistakenly mistake this growth for an ordinary subcutaneous pimple. This leads to the patient trying to remove the cyst on his own, as a result of which an infection is introduced into the ducts of the sebaceous gland and an inflammatory process develops.

With atheroma, the symptoms are as follows:

the formation can be easily felt under the skin;
the cyst is predominantly round or oval in shape;
with a superficial location, white contents are visible;
the seal is movable.

The skin at the site of the cyst is not inflamed, the surface of the neoplasm is absolutely smooth and looks healthy. As a rule, with large cyst sizes, the center of the neoplasm swells slightly due to stagnation of sebaceous secretions in the gland ducts.

With primary atheroma, the formation is always soft. In the secondary form of the pathology, the cyst is denser; to the touch it resembles a hard, irregularly shaped ball that easily rolls under the skin. If the cyst is not inflamed, touching the wen does not cause any discomfort. Signs of inflammation of atheroma are swelling of the skin, pain when pressed and suppuration of the wen.

When atheroma develops against the background of a hormone imbalance or when the skin is excessively oily, periodic inflammation of the formation is possible. In this case, the body temperature often rises, and the wen increases in size due to suppuration.

Removal of atheroma

Does atheroma need to be treated, or can it disappear on its own after a certain time? There is a possibility of self-cleansing a clogged sebaceous gland. If it is completely cleared of its contents, the cyst will noticeably decrease in size and then disappear altogether. Such self-healing eliminates the risk of secondary infection and the development of an inflammatory process.

But such an opportunity, alas, is extremely small. Therefore, if you detect a suspicious lump on the skin, even vaguely reminiscent of atheroma, you must immediately make an appointment with a doctor. You shouldn’t wait until the cyst gets bigger or starts to fester.

Basically, atheroma is treated with surgery performed under local anesthesia. Manipulation is performed when the tumor is large in size, as well as if it causes aesthetic discomfort to a person.

If the disease proceeds without complications, intervention is carried out in the following ways:

A skin incision is made in the place where the atheroma protrudes most. Its contents are carefully squeezed out and removed with a napkin. After this, the tumor capsule is captured using clamps and carefully removed. In some cases, curettage of the cystic cavity may be performed using a special sharp spoon.
A skin incision is made in the area of the atheroma in such a way that its capsule is not damaged. The dissected skin from the neoplasm is shifted, after which the doctor, gently pressing on the edges of the wound, peels out the atheroma.
This method of treating atheromas is the most common. To begin with, two bordering incisions are made above the atheroma, which cover the cystic opening. The edges of the skin are grabbed with special forceps and fixed. Along with this, the doctor carefully inserts the jaws of special surgical scissors under the atheroma, after which it is thoroughly peeled off. After this, sutures are placed on the subcutaneous tissue using absorbable threads. The cut skin is sutured with vertical mattress sutures using a thin, atraumatic thread. Sutures are removed one week after surgery.

Note. When atheroma suppurates, surgery is mandatory. Often the abscess is simply opened, which ensures normal outflow of its contents.

A modern method of treating atheromas is laser therapy. It can be done in 3 ways:

Laser photocoagulation. During manipulation, complete evaporation of pathological tissue occurs. Healthy skin cells remain intact. It is used for ulcers whose size does not exceed 0.5 cm in diameter. The procedure does not require stitches. After removing the atheroma, a scab forms in its place - a blood crust. Under no circumstances should it be removed or wet! Complete disappearance of the scab occurs in approximately 1-2 weeks.
Excision of atheroma with a laser beam. The manipulation is carried out if the abscess has reached 0.5 - 2 cm in diameter. Using a scalpel, the doctor makes a spindle-shaped incision over the atheroma, and an area of fused skin must be excised. A flap of skin is captured with a special holder, and then, using a focused laser beam, the abscess shell is slowly, step by step, released. After this, stitches are placed on the fresh wound and rubber drainage is made. The sutures are removed approximately 8-12 days after the procedure.
For atheromas whose dimensions exceed 2 cm in diameter, laser evaporation of the abscess shell from the inside is used. Using a scalpel, a small spindle-shaped incision is made, then the fused area is excised. Using a dry gauze swab, the purulent contents are carefully removed. After this, the skin is pulled apart using special hooks, and the cyst shell is evaporated from the inside with a laser beam. At the end of the manipulation, sutures are placed on the wound and, as in the previous case, rubber drainage is left. The stitches are removed after 8-12 days.

It is very important to monitor the condition of the postoperative wound. During the first day after surgery, dressings are performed daily or every other day. If suppuration has occurred, the rubber drainage is changed regularly, and the tissues are thoroughly lubricated with antiseptic solutions.

The wound heals completely in approximately 14 days. Therapy is often carried out on an outpatient basis. And only in severe forms of atheroma can the patient be hospitalized in a hospital.

The sutures are completely removed only after strong connecting bridges are formed between the edges of the wound. The procedure is absolutely painless and takes from 3 to 5 minutes.

In the postoperative period, the following signs are alarming:

A sharp increase in temperature. This symptom may indicate a secondary infection. As a rule, body temperature returns to normal 2-3 days after removal of the atheroma.
Blood soaking of the bandage. This deviation is observed in patients suffering from thrombocytopenia, as well as in people taking anticoagulants (blood thinning drugs: Aspirin, CardiASK, Aspirin Cardio, Cardiomagnyl, etc.).
The appearance of pus in the wound after removal of non-inflammatory atheromas.
Weakness of the sutures or divergence of the stitched edges of the postoperative wound. The patient himself may notice this sign when changing the bandage.

Identification of at least one of the above deviations should be a good reason for immediately contacting a doctor.

What is atheroma

Atheroma is a skin disease in which the sebaceous gland becomes blocked. In this regard, a capsular membrane with cheesy contents appears under the epidermis. This formation is popularly called a wen.

Atheroma is a benign neoplasm that consists of sebum and dead skin and hair particles. This defect is easy to detect: its rounded shapes with clear boundaries clearly protrude under the skin. Depending on its location, the cyst can reach the size of a chicken egg.

Inside the atheroma there is a cavity in which secretions begin to accumulate that are not released through the clogged sebaceous glands. The cyst itself cannot resolve; it must be removed through surgery.

On this topic

Atheroma

All about atheroma removal

Irina Nasredinovna Nachoeva
August 19, 2020

This neoplasm appears in places where the sebaceous glands are found in greater numbers. Most often, wen appear on visible areas of the skin, which entails the development of complexes in the patient.

Wen are localized:

in the frontal region;
in the pubic, axillary region;
on the area of the head with hair;
on the interscapular area;
on the genitals ;
on the buttocks;
in the area of the face, ears, neck.

Due to atheroma, the patient does not experience pain because the nerves are not compressed and tissue does not grow into neighboring organs. You should be wary of introducing an infection into the tumor, as this is fraught with the occurrence of an inflammatory process.

Reviews from people

In 90% of cases, reviews of surgical treatment of atheroma are positive. Patients note that the operation is easily tolerated and does not cause pain or discomfort.

But there are also negative reviews from patients about this method of therapy for atheroma. In them, people point out that the postoperative wound takes quite a long time to heal, and this process itself is accompanied by a certain discomfort. Some patients suffer from pain in the treated area, and daily dressing changes take a lot of time.

In addition, the reasons for negative reviews about surgical removal of atheromas are the need for maximum immobilization of the area of the body on which the intervention was performed, as well as cases of dehiscence of sutures. Also, some patients were dissatisfied with the treatment due to the formation of postoperative sutures. Alas, it is almost impossible to avoid their appearance. It can only be removed with laser polishing. This is the main reason for negative reviews from patients who have undergone surgical treatment of atheroma.

Treatment and prevention

There is no more effective method of combating a tumor than removing it. It is a mistake to say that there are some miracle drugs in pharmacies that can resolve a tumor. As for deletion, it can be done in 3 ways:

Classic, that is, using a scalpel and suturing. The procedure does not require hospital treatment, but at the same time it is considered not a very safe manipulation. Approximately 4 hours before the procedure, the patient should not eat or drink anything. Local anesthesia is mandatory, and in some cases general anesthesia.
Radio wave method. Today, this method of treating atheroma is considered the safest. There is no need for stitches or hair removal if the tumor is on the head. Other advantages of radio wave surgery include: 100% effectiveness, low likelihood of relapse, and no cosmetic complications (scars, sutures or incisions). The patient does not have to change his usual lifestyle, because there is no need to go to the hospital. Healing occurs as quickly as possible - only 4-5 days. The procedure itself takes no more than 15-20 minutes. The skin is first treated with an antiseptic, and then a device is directed to the problem area. It works until the inner capsule dissolves.
Laser. As with classical surgery, laser surgery involves the use of anesthesia. However, this method is considered more accurate, safer and faster. The procedure lasts on average 15-20 minutes. The skin is first treated with an antiseptic, and then a laser is directed at the atheroma. The beam continues until healthy tissue appears on the surface. Since the wound from the manipulation is small, no stitches are required.

Regardless of which surgical method is used, the effectiveness is always the same. A direct indication for surgery is any change in the appearance or feel of the subcutaneous ball. The patient should definitely be alerted to the situation when, against the background of such changes, an increased temperature also appears.

Possible forecast

Sometimes doctors allow the tumor to be left without any manipulation. However, even in this situation, a systematic examination by a doctor should be carried out. Although it is impossible to completely prevent atheroma, it is still possible to significantly reduce the likelihood of its occurrence. To do this, first of all, you need to take care of your body: observe the rules of personal hygiene, promptly treat hormonal disorders, treat wounds from injuries.

Atheroma itself is not fatal, but it can cause great discomfort. To reduce the likelihood of complications, it is better to know what atheroma is and how it is treated. See a doctor, get a consultation, and remove the tumor if necessary.

Atheroma: treatment without surgery

It is unrealistic to cure atheroma completely at home, since its complete enucleation is important in this matter. It can only be done by an experienced specialist - a surgeon or a doctor with practical skills in carrying out such manipulations.

If a person himself has some experience in performing such procedures, then, with proper local anesthesia, he can easily remove the cyst on his own. But for this, sterile instruments must be used, and ensuring complete asepsis and antiseptics at home is extremely problematic. In addition, it is important to have suture accessories on hand, which are also stored under strict sterile conditions. And since even a competent surgeon cannot provide such conditions at home, in fact, independent removal of atheroma is an impossible task.

Based on this, if atheroma appears on any part of the body, you must immediately go to the hospital. It is advisable to perform the operation at a time when the tumor is small. This will make it possible to avoid making large incisions and, as a result, prevent the formation of noticeable scars or scars.

Folk remedies help slow down the growth of cysts. But it should be borne in mind that they will not help to completely get rid of the problem. The following recipes are considered the most effective:

Melt the lamb fat in a water bath. Lubricate the atheroma with it several times a day.
Apply freshly cut coltsfoot leaves to the atheroma and secure firmly. Compresses must be changed once a day.
Pour 2 tbsp. l. burdock roots 0.5 liters of water and boil the mixture for 5 minutes. Strain and use the finished medicine as a lotion on the affected area.
Bake a small onion in the oven and mash it into a paste. Grate the laundry soap on a fine grater and mix in equal proportions with the onion mass. Stir until smooth and apply to the atheroma, securing the bandage on top. Change the compress 2-3 times a day.
Grind a few cloves of garlic and mix with a little sunflower oil. Beat well and rub into the cyst with light massaging movements.

Diagnosis and treatment of atheroma

Symptoms of atheroma are not specific and can be easily confused with other skin formations. Immediately after the duct of the sebaceous gland is blocked, a small bump appears. Most often, it begins to grow and gradually increases in size. Atheroma is absolutely painless, it is soft, elastic and has clear contours. During palpation, slight mobility of the contents of the capsule under the skin may be noted.

The symptoms of the disease must be differentiated from lipoma, since they are quite similar in appearance. Often, in order to diagnose atheroma, it is necessary to puncture the cyst.

Unlike other skin formations, such as lipoma, fibroma and some others, the cyst cannot resolve on its own. Therefore, the use of traditional methods of treatment is inappropriate. With their help, you can ensure that the formation decreases slightly in size, but the problem will not completely go away. And using “pulling” drugs and traditional methods of treatment, it is possible to achieve infection of the cyst capsule.

If atheromas appear, under no circumstances should you do the following actions and procedures:

Extrusion. Very often, when the formation is small, people try to squeeze it out. This should not be done under any circumstances, since the atheroma capsule may be damaged, which will lead to infection and suppuration.
Self-opening of the formation. If you adhere to all the rules of asepsis, carrying out this procedure at home will not completely get rid of atheroma. This is due to the fact that even if the contents of the hair follicle are removed, the internal capsule of the atheroma will remain in place. Over time, it may again fill with the secretion of the sebaceous glands and all the symptoms of the disease will appear.
The use of folk remedies that have a pulling effect. These methods will help soften the top of the atheroma and remove the internal contents, but not the capsule.

You can only get rid of atheroma through surgery. If treated in a timely manner, removal of the formation is carried out on an outpatient basis. Hospitalization of the patient is not required. After the procedure there are no scars or scars left.

Treatment of infected atheroma

Infected skin atheroma is much more dangerous. Symptoms of the inflammatory process appear - redness of the skin around the atheroma, swelling, pain on palpation, local increase in temperature. It may increase in size as a result of the formation of pus inside the capsule.

If the atheroma becomes inflamed, you should immediately contact a surgeon to decide whether an autopsy is necessary. This is necessary in order to prevent the capsule from rupturing or melting. Indeed, in this case, all the pus will end up in the subcutaneous fatty tissue, which can lead to the development of an abscess or extensive phlegmon.

For small atheromas, you first need to relieve the symptoms of inflammation. For this, it is recommended to use anti-inflammatory ointments. If a purulent cyst has formed, it must be opened. Depending on how advanced the disease is, this is carried out in a clinic or hospital setting. In this case, all purulent contents are removed, the capsule is washed and drained. However, the cyst capsule is not removed because there are signs of an inflammatory process. The wound heals by secondary intention and a scar is formed. In some cases, you may need to take antibacterial drugs.

2-3 months after opening the cyst and its healing, it is necessary to surgically remove the capsule. This will help prevent secondary inflammation in the same place.

Prevention

Sometimes atheroma can form for no apparent reason. But there are certain rules, following which, you can avoid its occurrence. To prevent sebaceous cysts, you must:

follow a diet that excludes animal fats, spices, salt, refined sugars, etc.;
do hygiene procedures regularly;
promptly eliminate acne, seborrhea, dermatitis and other skin diseases;
identify and eradicate the causes of hyperhidrosis.

If atheroma often recurs, and operations do not help get rid of the problem, you need to visit an endocrinologist’s office. It is quite possible that the reasons for this deviation lie in dysfunction of the endocrine system.

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