Moles, Lipomas and Cysts - What are the differences?

As we age, our skin can lose its youthful radiance and develop problems of its own.  From discrete areas of pigmentation on our face to bumpy growths, moles, lipomas and cysts, these are the most benign looking skin conditions. All of these can become troublesome later on and should be treated earlier rather than later. Waiting to treat any of these just makes the problem larger and the scars longer as well.

 A sudden change in size, texture, or pain can be of concern for cancerous growth. Removal of all of these growth benign and cancerous/malignant is covered by insurance in the United States. Again it is better to biopsy or remove these lesions than to observe them.

Here is all you need to know about moles, cysts and lipomas and decide whether your condition needs a removal surgery.

Moles/pigmented skin lesions

Moles/pigmented skin lesions come in various shapes, colors, sizes and skin depths. They can be round or irregular, brown or other colors, bumpy or flat on the skin, in the superficial layer of skin or inner dermal layer of skin.  They can appear anywhere on the body, and their appearance is intensified by unprotected exposure to the sun.

They are susceptible to turning into cancerous growths, and hence, a slow change in their appearance must not be ignored. A change in color, size, bleeding and areas that do not heal suggest that there is more than a benign process going on and they must be excised or biopsied.

However, studies show that patients usually ignore the gradual change in the appearance of moles which can delay timely treatment. All changes suggest that the mole is evolving and removal procedure is recommended. This kind of procedure is normally covered under insurance.

Soft tissue growths-

Lipomas

Lipomas are one of the soft tissue growths that develop underneath the skin. Their cause is probably because of a person’s genetics.  They are  bulges of varying sizes and only grow with time. They are made of fatty tissue under the skin, they are usually soft and appear to move. They can however be deep or in multiple layers or in the muscle as well. A sudden growth in these lesions or pain is troublesome and may signify a cancerous growth. The forehead and scalp make a type of lipoma that is very deep and these should also be removed. Inexperienced surgeons often remove the incorrect lesion in these areas. These lipomas should not return if they are totally and properly removed.

All of these growths should have proper testing with pathology to determine what they are exactly. The likelihood of malignancy is very unlikely and less than 1%.  Lesions that grow suddenly, are very large, or become painful can grow into cancerous growths called liposarcoma. Hence, a timely removal procedure may also be a preventive measure to ensure that a lipoma doesn’t lead to unwanted consequences later on in life.

Cysts

Cysts are derived and develop from the skin. These are harmless keratin-filled bulbous lumps that can appear anywhere. People who have skin conditions such as sebaceous acne, or who are prone to black heads and pimples are susceptible to develop these cysts. Although genetics mostly determine your skin condition and susceptibility to developing cysts, some can be formed by injury, or when sweat ducts are blocked. Diet also plays a considerable role in skin condition and cyst formation.

Cysts always need to be treated and removed. They will never go away with out treatment. They will always enlarge with time and will always eventually get infected if they are not removed. If the area of enlargement becomes red, tender and painful and or also starts to drain this is usually an infected cyst that needs to be excised or drained as soon as possible. A plastic surgeon who can remove the cyst and reconstruct the area is best equipped to treat these. Another option rather than excision is to first drain these cysts of the infection. This can give temporary relief but the cyst is guaranteed to reappear unless the full cyst including all of the sac is removed. When these cysts are treated while they are infected they can be more difficult to remove completely and leaving only minute cells behind can cause the cyst to reform. Therefore it is best to treat them when and before they become infected. If you have reappearing cysts, complete surgical removal is your best bet for permanent results.

Conclusion

If your skin is suffering from any of the above conditions, then getting in touch with a trusted name in the industry will provide you with spectacular results. Contact Dr. Norman Bakshandeh at Day Plastic Surgery for the best in removal surgery. Dr. Norman’s work is bound to leave you satisfied.