Fat on the face - what to do?
Small dense formations of white or yellow color that appear on the face under the upper layer of the epidermis are called wen. They cannot transform into malignant tumors, do not cause pain and physical discomfort due to their small size. Nevertheless, the owners of wen on the face often turn to a dermatologist because of aesthetic dissatisfaction with their appearance.
Content:
- Classification of wen on the face
- Reasons for the formation of wen
- Diagnostics
- How to get rid of a wen on the face?
- Removal of a wen on the face with a laser
Classification of wen on the face
Zhirovik and white subcutaneous acne have an important difference from each other - if you can get rid of acne by scrubbing or banal squeezing, then the wen is not able to go out through the cutaneous duct.
Fat on the face is an accumulation of sebum. It can be formed in a single copy or represent multiple defects.
Types of wen on the face, depending on their origin:
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Milium ("millet") - is a tiny dense white nodule, slightly protruding above the surface of the skin. Its contents are dead cells of the epidermis, mixed with subcutaneous fat. Milium remains the same size throughout the entire period of its existence. Very often milia form entire "colonies" on the eyelids, cheeks, chin, forehead or wings of the nose.
- Xanthelasma (yellow plaque) - is a convex irregular spot, usually located on the upper eyelid, in the inner corner of one or both eyes (symmetrically). Xanthelasma has a loose structure, contains exfoliated cells of the epidermis, sebum and leukocytes. This defect appears in people with serious lipid metabolism disorders, high blood cholesterol levels, obesity, diabetes, pancreatitis, and liver cirrhosis. Xanthelasmas tend to grow in size over time.
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Atheroma (sebaceous cyst) - is a rounded subcutaneous seal, elastic and mobile on palpation. The color of atheroma usually does not differ from the shade of the surrounding skin, since the secretion of the sebaceous gland accumulated inside it is enclosed in a dense capsule of connective tissue. On the surface of the formation, you can sometimes notice a black dot - a clogged mouth. Atheroma usually forms on the chin or behind the ears, that is, where the most sebaceous glands are located. Such a cyst on the face can reach large sizes (with a quail egg or more), as well as become inflamed and suppurate.
Fats on the face are not susceptible to malignancy, they are safe and usually painless. But their owners experience serious psychological discomfort due to a visible defect in appearance.
Reasons for the formation of wen
Researchers of the problem have not yet figured out the exact cause of the accumulation of sebaceous secretions under the skin and the formation of wen. Not a single person is immune from their appearance, these defects occur in people of any age and physique.
Negative factors leading to the formation of wen:
- Skin type inherited from parents, that is, the transfer of the gene responsible for the hypersecretion of sebum, which provokes the appearance of acne, comedones and wen;
- Violation of metabolism, namely, lipid metabolism, which leads to the development of atherosclerosis and an increase in cholesterol levels in the blood;
- Hepatic and renal failure, liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, lipoid nephrosis;
- Pathologies of blood circulation and the functioning of the lymphatic system, disrupting the nutrition of the skin and its cleansing from impurities, which leads to the accumulation of fatty deposits under its upper layer;
- Endocrine disorders leading to changes in hormonal levels;
- Overuse of decorative cosmetics, improper skin cleansing, irritating it and leading to excessive sebum production;
- Inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, impaired absorption of nutrients and elimination of toxins, poisoning with poor-quality food;
- Nicotine and alcohol abuse.
Treatment of a wen on the face is carried out by a dermatologist or cosmetologist. Attempts to independently remove the formation are doomed to failure, because it cannot be squeezed out. If the capsule of the wen is pierced without observing antiseptic measures, an infection can be introduced under the skin, and serious complications will appear.
Diagnostics
Diagnosis of a wen is carried out by a dermatologist or cosmetologist on an outpatient basis. Most often, a visual inspection is sufficient. In the case of large lesions, consultation with a surgeon is required.
To differentiate wen from other skin pathologies, an ultrasound or biopsy is performed.
How to get rid of a wen on the face?
There are several methods to help get rid of such formations on the face. The destruction of wen should not end with the appearance of scars and scars, the procedure must be painless and safe.
Basic methods:
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Use of medicines. In the presence of small wen, a dermatologist can prescribe drugs that soften the tissues of the epidermis, disinfect the cavity of the wen and promote its resorption. These are Vitaon ointment, Vishnevsky ointment, ichthyol ointment and other means that pull out deep formations from under the skin. Medicines are applied to the skin pointwise, in the projection of the wen.
- Injection lipolysis. The doctor can remove a small wen by injecting a special substance into it, which dissolves the deposits of lipid cells. After 2-3 months, the formation disappears completely. The method has a drawback - it is ineffective in 20% of cases.
- Surgery to remove the wen. It is used for the impressive size of the pathological focus (more than 2 cm in diameter). During the manipulation, the top layer of the skin is dissected, the capsule is emptied and exfoliated. After surgical removal of a wen, a noticeable scar may remain on the face, so the method is not popular. Most patients prefer to pay extra and get rid of the defect with a laser or radio wave knife in a private clinic, but this is not always possible.
The duration of traditional surgery is 20-30 minutes, during which the capsule and the fat accumulated in it are removed. If the wen was of impressive size and became inflamed, drainage is first installed into the wound. Only after stopping the purulent process is the capsule peeled and sutures are applied.
Removal of non-inflamed wen on the face can be performed by liposuction, when the contents of the formation are pumped out using a special syringe. The advantages of the procedure include speed, low invasiveness and no scar. But there is also a serious drawback - since the capsule remains in place, there is a high risk of relapse.
Removal of a wen on the face with a laser
The laser removal technique has many advantages:
- Local action - only the fatty tissue undergoes destruction, healthy areas of the face remain intact.
- Complex solution of problems - removal of education, coagulation of blood vessels, disinfection of postoperative wounds.
- The possibility of histology - the tumor is not destroyed, but is removed along with the capsule.
- Re-formation of a wen at this place is excluded.
Before the operation, local anesthesia is administered, the skin is cut with a laser knife. With this tactic, bleeding is excluded, because with the help of a laser, the vessels are immediately coagulated. The edges of the wound are spread apart, a capsule with a wen is pulled out of it. With the help of a laser knife, the tumor is exfoliated, at the same time the remnants of the neoplasm are cauterized. The miniature incision does not require stitches, and a sterile bandage is applied to the wound. The operation lasts 15-40 minutes, after which there is no edema, scars and scars. The next day, the patient returns to his normal daily routine.
During the period of treatment, you should adhere to a special diet that excludes fatty foods and alcohol, do not use intensive facial cleansing, do not abuse decorative cosmetics. To disinfect the skin of the face, you can treat it with antiseptics - salicylic acid solution, Chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide. To prevent relapse, you should be careful about cleanliness of the skin and adherence to the rules of personal hygiene.
The author of the article: Volkov Dmitry Sergeevich | c. m. n. surgeon, phlebologist
Education: Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry (1996). In 2003, he received a diploma from the Educational and Scientific Medical Center of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation.
