Cysts: A skin cyst, or epidermal cyst, is a benign skin tumour that most commonly appears on the face, ears, neck, throat, torso and genitals, but in fact there is no part of the body where cysts have not appeared. They grow slowly and, usually, are painless, but many patients choose to have them removed, either for aesthetic reasons or because they are functionally inconvenient in their location.

It appears as a lump, a bump under the skin, and probably has a central black spot. Usually, this is a point of contact with the area outside the skin, where microbes can enter the cyst and inflammation can develop. In this case the cyst hurts, is red and the area is hot. When cells from the surface layer of the skin, the epidermis, go a little deeper into the skin, they multiply, create the cyst wall and start to produce keratin. In other cases, the cysts develop from a sebaceous gland of a hair follicle whose efferent duct, which brings the sebum to the surface of the skin, has become blocked.

THERAPY

The cyst is surgically removed. It is very important to remove the entire wall, otherwise it is likely to recur. Care should be taken not to force the cyst to rupture, as this often happens inwards and results in expansion and worsening of the inflammation.

Lipomas: Lipomas are usually benign tumours that form in the subcutaneous tissue and are caused by the rapid proliferation of adipose tissue cells. Their main causes of occurrence are genetic or heredity. As the majority of lipomas are harmless, no treatment is required. In the case that they absolutely must be treated, then the only solution is their surgical removal. This procedure is recommended in cases where the lipomas cause pain or numbness or are located near joints, making it difficult to move.

THERAPY

Lipoma removal is generally a simple procedure and is performed with a small incision as large as the diameter of the lipoma. Small lipomas can be removed under local anaesthesia, while slightly larger ones may require general anaesthesia. However, regardless of the size of the lipoma, a biopsy must always be taken after surgical removal.

Patches: Papillomas are benign skin tumours. They are colloquially called "moles", but they have nothing to do with skin "moles" (skin nevi). They are small, round, sessile or pedunculated patches of skin. Their surface is smooth or warty (cauliflower-like). They are usually skin-coloured but may be brown or even dark brown. They are caused by HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), the viruses that cause warts and warty warts. However, they are not as contagious. They can multiply and spread in the same person after rubbing or injuring the area. The main HPV viruses responsible for papillomas are HPV 6 and HPV 11. These are essentially low-risk viruses. The removal of papillomas is mainly done for cosmetic reasons.

THERAPY

Laser papilloma removal is the most modern and effective papilloma treatment that leads to complete elimination of existing lesions.

Overcrowding: Seborrheic keratosis is a benign skin lesion (non-cancerous), causally related to a hereditary predisposition. It is characterized by thickening of the most superficial part of the epidermis, called the stratum corneum. At this level, the cells are highly loaded with keratin, a protein that gives them a dry and very hard appearance. In some cases, there is abnormal accumulation of keratin resulting in the formation of plates of dry skin and covered with crusts. Seborrheic hyperkeratoses are not transmitted from person to person and are asymptomatic lesions. Occasionally, after injury, they may present with itching, bleeding, pain, redness or crusting.

THERAPY

The main removal methods are:

• Scraping: the skin is scraped using an instrument called a scraper.
• Cryosurgery or cryosurgery: applied over the hyperkeratosis and then allowed to fall off, two weeks later.
• Transfusion - Electrosurgery
• Laser

Source : www.edae.gr