from the Winter 2003 issue
One of the most common reasons for a person to consult a dermatologist is to get various types of growths on the body checked to be sure they aren’t cancerous. Although we certainly continue to recommend getting any suspicious lesion checked by a dermatologist, a little knowledge about common benign skin growths may set your mind at ease.
Keratoses
The most common benign growths that concern our patients are seborrheic keratoses. They look like raised bumps with a rough warty surface. In fact, people often mistakenly think they are warts. They can range in color from flesh-colored to tan to dark brown or black. They often occur on the back, chest and face. They generally show up in the 30s or 40s and continue to increase in number throughout life. Some people only get a few and others get dozens. Because they are benign, the only reason to remove them is if they are bothersome from a symptomatic (such as itching) or cosmetic standpoint. They can be removed by a variety of methods.
Moles
Moles, also known by the medical term nevi, are another common benign skin growth. Moles are collections of melanocytes or pigment cells. They range in color from flesh-colored to black. A cancerous mole is called malignant melanoma, the most serious and deadly form of skin cancer. Generally, a normal mole is symmetrical and uniform in color. In contrast, melanoma is asymmetrical and has irregular shades of brown, black and pink.
We recommend monthly self-exams and yearly checks of your moles by a dermatologist to be on the lookout for melanoma. If a mole is benign in appearance, it does not need to be removed. If a mole is bothersome cosmetically, it can be removed in our office.
Enlarged Oil Glands
The most common benign skin lesion on the face is called sebaceous hyperplasia. The term means enlarged oil gland. As we age, it is very common to get these overgrown oil glands on the cheeks and forehead. They appear as small yellowish smooth-surfaced bumps. They can be treated in the office if their appearance is bothersome.
Cysts and Lipomas
Two other common benign growths that we see are sebaceous cysts and lipomas. Both appear as lumps under the skin with normal skin on the surface. A sebaceous cyst will sometimes have a central pore or opening that drains a cheesy, white material. The cyst consists of a sac made of epidermis and the white contents of the sac are oil and skin cells. Sometime a cyst can get infected, which will cause it to get red, swollen and tender. A lipoma is a benign growth made up of fat cells. Both cysts and lipomas can occur anywhere on the body, but frequently they are on the trunk. The treatment for both is surgical excision if they are large enough to be bothersome.
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