What Are Skin Growths?
With time, skin changes happen due to increasing age and exposure to environmental stressors, health problems, and trauma or injury, resulting in skin growths. Skin growths are either congenital or develop later and may vary in size and color. The two common skin growths are freckles and moles. When the skin growth is controlled and the cells do not spread to other body parts, it is called non-cancerous or benign, but when it is uncontrolled, it becomes cancerous or malignant. These malignant skin growths require medical attention. Conversely, benign skin growths often cause cosmetic problems.
What Causes Skin Growths?
The exact cause of skin growth is still unknown. However, some skin growths may occur due to:
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Viruses.
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Systemic diseases.
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Environmental factors (like sunlight, temperature, or pollution).
How Are Skin Growths Diagnosed?
Diagnosis is made on:
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Physical Examination of the Skin: Healthcare professionals often easily recognize skin growths by examining the skin.
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Biopsy: Involves removing some skin growths and examining them under a microscope.
What Are the Various Types of Skin Growths, Their Features, and Treatment?
The different types of skin growths are listed below:
1. Dermoid Cyst:
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A dermoid cyst is a benign tumor composed of hairs, sweat glands, sebaceous glands, and sometimes cartilage, teeth, and bone fragments.
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These cysts are slow-growing and are not tender unless ruptured. They usually involve the face, inside the skull, the lower back, and the ovaries.
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They are removed surgically for cosmetic reasons.
2. Dermatofibroma:
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It is a common benign fibrous nodule that occurs more commonly in women than men.
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These growths can occur anywhere in the body, but they are most common on the legs, arms, and upper back.
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A dermatofibroma presents as small round brownish to red-purple scar-like bumps due to fibroblasts' buildup.
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Dermatofibromas may be surgically removed to ease pain or itching.
3. Freckles or Ephelides
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Freckles are dark-colored, flat spots that generally appear on sun-exposed areas of the skin.
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These growths are formed due to the overproduction of melanin, a pigment responsible for skin and hair color.
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They are commonly seen in people with blonde or red hair.
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No treatment is generally required for freckles.
4. Keloids
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Keloids are smooth, thick, raised, fibrous scars found where the skin is healed after an injury.
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Keloid scars are common in dark-skinned people.
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These growths have a poor response to most treatment approaches.
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Corticosteroid injections into keloid scars may flatten the keloids. Other treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, laser treatments, or silicone patches that may flatten the keloids.
5. Lipomas
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Lipomas are round, easily movable lumps found under the skin due to fat deposits.
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They typically appear on the forearms, torso, and back of the neck.
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They are usually harmless, but the healthcare provider may do a biopsy if the lipoma changes shape or causes symptoms.
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Treatment of lipoma may include surgical removal.
6. Moles or Nevi
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Moles are common small skin marks caused by a cluster of pigment-producing cells in the skin.
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They may appear flat or raised, smooth or rough, and some contain hair. Color ranges from dark brown or black to skin-colored or yellowish.
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They can change over time and often respond to hormonal changes.
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Most moles are benign, and no specific treatment is needed. However, some benign moles may develop into skin cancer like melanoma.
7. Atypical Moles (Dysplastic Nevi)
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These are larger than normal moles (more than a half-inch). Unlike moles, these are not always round-shaped.
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They can be tan to dark brown and may occur on any body part.
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Treatment may include the removal of those atypical moles that change color, shape, or diameter. People with atypical moles should particularly avoid sun exposure as sunlight may speed up the changes in atypical moles. In addition, people with atypical moles should reach out to a health care professional for any sudden changes that may indicate a risk of skin cancer.
8. Pyogenic Granulomas
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Pyogenic granulomas are small, red, raised, oozing, and bleeding bumps caused by excessive growth of capillaries.
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They often develop after an injury to the skin and bleed easily. They are more common in children and pregnant women.
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Some pyogenic granulomas resolve without treatment. However, a biopsy may be needed to rule out cancer in some severe cases. Treatment may include surgical removal.
9. Seborrheic Keratoses
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Seborrheic keratoses are flesh-colored, black, brown, tan, round or oval, well-demarcated spots.
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They are more common in middle-aged and older adults.
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No treatment is indicated. If the spots cause irritation or a person wants them removed for cosmetic reasons, treatment may include freezing the area with liquid nitrogen or surgery.
10. Skin Tags or Acrochordon
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Skin tags are pedunculated flesh-colored to soft brown bumps found in the neck, axillae, and groin areas.
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They often tend to occur in obesity and pregnancy. Occasionally, they twist and strangulate their blood supply, causing pain or irritation, or may become irritated from clothing or jewelry.
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Simple snip excision is the treatment of choice.
11. Lentigines (Liver Spots)
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Lentigines are benign hyperpigmented patches that resemble moles.
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They are typically pale tan to brown and appear in white adults and increase in number with advancing age.
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They tend to appear on the sun-exposed skin of the face, neck, upper trunk, forearms, and hands.
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Treatment for lentigines is primarily for cosmetic purposes. Treatment options include cryotherapy, chemical peels, laser therapy, and Hydroquinone bleaching creams.
12. Cherry Angioma
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Cherry angiomas are benign vascular growths, usually small red bumps or macules that occur in adults and increase in number with age. Angiomas can develop on most body areas but appear more commonly on the trunk and proximal extremities.
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They are usually asymptomatic but sometimes can bleed with trauma. Treatment is not required, but laser therapy is the best means of destruction for cosmetic purposes.
13. Milia
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Milia are asymptomatic small white or yellow bumps that occur majorly on the faces of women and neonates.
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They are collections of keratin under the epidermal surface of the skin.
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Treatment is usually for cosmetic purposes and consists of an incision followed by an expression of cystic contents. Topical Tretinoin may help treat and prevent milia.
Conclusion:
Skin growths cause more cosmetic concerns than anything else. Most of them are benign and harmless, but some benign growths indicate underlying systemic diseases. Most benign growths do not require specific treatment unless they produce any symptoms. A skin biopsy may be helpful to evaluate the growths that have changed or display characteristics of cutaneous malignancy.
