Fordyce's granules

What is it

Fordyce's granules or seborrheal cysts call the sebaceous glands appearing in the form of light spots on skin of generative organs (vulvar lips, a penis), in a groin, on nipples, in lips, on a mucous membrane of a mouth.

The name of granules came from a name of the scientist of J. A. Fordyce who described these cysts in 1896.

Fordyce's granules do not do harm to health of the person, are not transferred at any kind of contact (including at sexual) and in general are considered as norm option. In most cases patients ask for the help, only if seborrheal cysts represent cosmetic defect.

Reasons of emergence of granules of Fordyce

Still rather accurately the reasons of granules of Fordyce are not clear.

Communication with seborrhea is not observed too, the name "seborrheal cysts" is rather a defect of transfer. It would be more correct to call Fordyce's granules cysts of sebaceous glands. At seborrhea at patients change of composition of skin fat is observed that leads to obstruction of a channel of a sebaceous gland and formation of a cyst similar by outward to Fordyce's granules.

Puberty usually gives an impetus to emergence of seborrheal cysts. The main opinion of scientists comes down to the fact that the reason of granules of Fordyce that sebaceous glands at these people are located a little ektopichno (closer, than normal, to an upper layer of a derma and epidermis) or it is abnormal: on a border of lips, mucous a mouth, etc. the Child since the birth has features of a structure and an arrangement of sebaceous glands. During puberty (13-17 years) under the influence of sex hormones (generally it is about androgens – male sex hormones) there is an increase in activity of sebaceous glands: sebum formation increases that leads to visible emergence and is the reason of granules of Fordyce.

Also at this group of people existence of a hyperplasia of channels of sebaceous glands is noted. In this connection, in them cysts are more often formed (due to narrowing of a gleam of a channel and obturation its skin fat). The secret of a sebaceous gland is not removed, and collects in a cyst that leads to increase in the size of a granule of Fordyce and visible cosmetic defect.

As Fordyce's granules look

Fordyce's granules are similar on small (about 1-2 mm) specks of yellowish color or ochroleucous papules (small small knots) located near a border of lips on a mucous membrane of an oral cavity, in the field of a trunk of a penis or on skin of big vulvar lips. Cysts are painless, often numerous. When pressing a small amount of dense ochroleucous contents then there is punctulate bleeding with formation of a hematoma around a former element can be allocated for granules.

Kinds of granules of Fordyce

There are 2 kinds of granules of Fordyce:

• nacreous papules of a penis;
• Fox-Fordyce's disease.

Nacreous papules of a penis are an option of norm. According to different authors occur at 30% of men of young age. They do not do harm to health, are not transferred sexually, do not cause complications. In medicine this problem is a little studied in connection with lack of information of doctors on existence of this manifestation. Effective treatment is not offered.

The reason of emergence of this kind of granules of Fordyce is not clear too. Some authors consider the reason excess proliferation of an epithelium of output channels of glands of a penis. Others incline to opinion on fibroplastic proliferation of sites of an epithelium of a balanus.

There are nacreous papules of a penis during puberty and indicate sharp increase in androgens in blood. At the people practicing trimming, the frequency of formation of these papules is extremely small. It is connected with the fact that the increased quantity of a secret and smegma, irritating owing to the physical and chemical properties an epithelium of a penis and causing fibroplastic proliferation (growth), is easier distinguished when holding hygienic procedures.

Fox-Fordyce's disease is an analog of nacreous papules, only at women. Its clinic is absolutely identical to clinic of nacreous papules of a penis. Defeat is localized in apocrine sweat glands and is connected (somewhat) with the urinogenital device. The endocrine origin is supposed. Localization of a rash: on a pubis, in axillary poles, on a crotch, on big vulvar lips and around nipples. It is shown more often by the moderate skin itch amplifying during periods. Disease is long, often there is spontaneous permission by 40 years.

With what it is necessary to differentiate Fordyce's granules

Fordyce's granules, and also their version (nacreous papules of a penis and Fox-Fordyce's disease) need to be distinguished with:

• contagious mollusk;
• neurodermatitis;
• by red flat it is deprived;
• chronic focal eczema.

No additional diagnostic methods for diagnosis except external survey and an exception of other diseases are required.

Treatment of granules of Fordyce

At the moment all data on successful treatment of granules of Fordyce are contradictory and have unconfirmed character.

Oil jojoba and Retin-A cream are applied. At their use fresh granules of Fordyce are removed and emergence of new is prevented.

Old granules of Fordyce are treated more successfully by cauterization by the laser: electrothermic coagulation or cryotherapy. Surgical removal of granules of Fordyce is practically not applied, however is the most radical method. Independent removal of granules of Fordyce by expression is absolutely inadmissible. Such "treatment" can lead to formation of an inflammation with further scarring of skin.

Around a border of lips cosmetology treatment of granules of Fordyce consists in a permanent permanent make-up since in some cases this localization is cosmetic defect.

By 30 years the majority of elements loses the brightness and camber, becomes less noticeable. It is connected with fading of activity of sebaceous glands and decrease in level of sex hormones.