Atheroma around the neck
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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On the neck are often formed various irritations, redness, this is due to the fact that in this zone a lot of sebaceous glands, in addition, the neck is often subjected to mechanical friction about the collars of clothing. The slightest violation of the rules of personal hygiene, skin contamination in this area, increased sweating and other seemingly insignificant reasons can provoke the formation of a subcutaneous cyst.
Atheroma on the neck most often develops rapidly, is prone to inflammation and suppuration, can reach large sizes and cause not only discomfort, but also painful sensation. Blockage of the outflowing duct of the sebaceous gland in conjunction with a permanent mechanical factor (friction of the neck against clothing) leads to the fact that the cyst quickly fills with purulent contents and grows to huge sizes. The most typical localization of the atheroma in the neck region is the upper and posterior zone, where the most active holocrine (sebaceous) glands are located.
Atheroma on the neck in the clinical sense is quite specific, it is easy to determine both visually and palpatory. The cyst is felt as an oval, painful compaction with clear contours and a thin skin in the inflammatory process. There are often cases of an independent breakthrough of pus, but the atheroma does not disappear, but only decreases in size, since it retains both its capsule and part of the epithelial secretion inside it. Thus, independent cyst dissection can not be considered a way to get rid of atheroma, it somehow needs to be removed promptly in order to avoid relapses and transformation into a vast abscess.
During the surgical intervention, all parts of the cyst are removed - the cavity, the capsule within the healthy tissues. The operation is considered uncomplicated and refers to the so-called small surgery, that is, operations performed on an outpatient basis.
[Atheroma at the back of the neck
The preferred location of the sebaceous gland cyst on the neck is the posterior surface. Atheroma on the back is formed as a result of increased sweating, secretion of the sebaceous secretion, plugging of the gland duct. This process is intensified by elementary non-observance of hygiene rules, if the neck is contaminated, clothes do not change for a long time, there is a factor of mechanical friction of the collar, inevitably irritation develops in this zone, often acne, as well as subcutaneous cysts.
The initial stage of atheroma formation usually passes without obvious clinical signs, the cyst does not hurt and does not provoke discomfort. It can only be detected with the help of palpation. If the atheroma becomes inflamed, suppuration develops in it, the symptoms become more obvious - there is pain, swelling in the area of inflammation, redness of the skin and visible signs of a purulent process. Purulent atheromas on the back can develop to gigantic sizes - more than 5 centimeters in diameter, such neoplasms are subject to urgent surgical removal.
It should be noted that the abscess can open itself, but the atheroma does not disappear, as it remains inside as a devastated capsule, prone to recurrence - a new filling with sebaceous, epithelial contents.
To date, there is no effective conservative method of treatment with atheroma, the only common method of effective cyst removal is surgery. The most common types of surgery:
- Surgery with the help of a surgical scalpel, when under local anesthesia a cut is made of the skin in the cyst zone, the atheroma is removed along with the capsule and the contents. Relapses are possible only in the case of incomplete cleansing, if parts of the atheroma remain in the subcutaneous tissue.
- Atheroma on the back of the neck can be easily removed by laser technology. This method is very effective for cysts of small size without signs of inflammation. The cyst is opened, its cavity is processed by a laser, thus complete neutralization of internal structures of the atheroma takes place. The laser method is also good because it does not leave post-surgical scars on the neck.
- Removal of atheroma on the neck using the radio wave method. This method is considered the safest, painless and most preferred for the head and neck.