Atheroma of the skin

Cystic, tumor neoplasms of the skin in dermatology, cosmetology are considered common diseases. Atheroma of the skin is a cyst located in the upper layer of the dermis, in medicine this formation has a synonym - trichodermal cyst, which is due to its location directly in the skin layers, in the outflowing duct of the sebaceous gland, more often in the area of the hair follicle. Atheroma consists of a capsule and a content of a mushy consistency, this composition gives the name of a cyst, since athera in translation from Greek means porridge, gruel. The cyst refers to benign epithelial neoplasms, which in turn are classified according to the histological structure into such types:

• Retinal cyst of the sebaceous gland.
• Trichilemal cyst.
• The epidermal cyst.
• Steacistoma.

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]

Symptoms of atheroma of the skin

In the clinical sense, these species practically do not differ from each other, therefore all of them are diagnosed and defined as atheromas.

Atheroma of the skin looks like a small, rounded growth with a tight capsule inside, the capsule contains a complex keratin secret of a white and yellow shade with a characteristic, unpleasant odor. Atheromatous cysts are not detected often, only 7-10% of the total number of skin diseases. The most common secondary atheromas, which develop as the final phase of accumulation of liquid contents in the gland and blockage of its excretory duct. Congenital atheromas are very rarely diagnosed, they are often confused with such hereditary diseases as the dermoid cyst. The age criterion for patients with sebaceous gland cysts is not specified, but dermatologists state that atheroma is more often formed in individuals aged 30 to 55 years.

Since atheroma is a neoplasm of the sebaceous gland, its preferential location, accordingly, is associated with the prevalence of glandulae sebaceae on the body. Volume, number of sebaceous glands per 1 square centimeter of skin is as follows: •

• Hairy part of head - 3,2mm ³.
• The forehead is 2.4 mm3 per 1 cm ².
• The lower part of the face, neck - 2,1mm ³.
• The groin is 2.2mm ³.
• Back - 1.5 mm ^3.
• Breast - 1.4 mm ³.
• Hips - 0,6-0,5mm ³.
• The shin is 0.03 mm ³.

The localization of atheroma is quite specific, its favorite location is the areas covered with hair, that is, the head, the lower part of the face and neck, less often the back, chest, hips, legs. All parts of the body where there are hair follicles, in principle, are prone to the appearance of retention cysts, especially if a person suffers from hyperhidrosis or in case of hormonal failures, metabolic disorders.

Atheroma on the head is often multiple - in 70% of cases, the number of cysts can reach up to 10 pieces. Cysts in the back, on the lower parts of the body in their majority are defined as single, but are prone to increase to large sizes.

Diagnosis of skin atheroma

Differential diagnosis is carried out with the help of examination, palpation, less often the cyst tissues are taken for histological examination. Atheroma of the skin can be similar to lipoma, fibroma, osteoma, dermoid, but its distinctive feature is a superficial location and a well visible obturated outflowing duct in the center of the tumor.

[8], [9], [10], [11], [12]

Treatment of atheroma of the skin

Treatment of benign skin cysts, as a rule, is surgical, unlike other tumors, atheroma is not able to resolve, to invoke independently, therefore it is better to remove it operatively.