Sebaceous Hyperplasia
Sebaceous hyperplasia is a skin condition in which a person develops small, yellowish growths that start out very small and usually flat but can grow up to 3mm.
They consist of enlarged sebaceous glands, usually on the cheeks and forehead and start in middle age. On close examination you may notice a central hair follicle that looks like a little donut in the middle. This condition isn’t dangerous or contagious. The cause of the condition is unknown and tends to run in families.
Sebaceous hyperplasias are harmless, will not go away on their own, and do not require any treatment. They are treated strictly for cosmetic reasons. The Smoothbeam laser is FDA approved for the treatment of these lesions. When they are small they may clear in a single treatment. The larger ones could take 2-3 treatments, spaced about a month apart. The side effect of the treatment is localized redness and swelling that may last up to 10 days. Over this period of time the lesions will slowly shrink away and become less noticeable. There is no “cure” for these annoying little bumps, and if you are prone to getting them you may need to come in every 6 months to have new ones treated when they are still small.
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