Fordyce granules or spots are benign lesions located in different body areas such as lips, inside of the mouth, genital area, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet, among other locations.
Fordyce pimples go away on their own in most cases. They do not usually give symptoms or become malignant with time. It is only tiny oil glands. Therefore, removing them or not is more of an aesthetic concern. You should be aware that many of the promoted procedures to remove these spots can leave more marks due to poor skin healing.
Next, in this FastlyHealarticle, we explain everything you need to know about Fordyce pimples and whether they remove themselves.
Table of Contents
What are Fordyce grains?
Fordyce granules are tiny oil glands that grow in unusual places. The sebaceous glands are responsible for producing sebum, which has specific functions:
- Protect the skin.
- Hydrate it.
- Provide antioxidants.
The sebaceous glands are typically located next to hair follicles. Fordyce granules are not.
There are other names for them: spots, granules, spots or Fordyce’s disease, or Seboglandulia buccalis.
They can be located in different areas of the body, such as:
- Lips.
- Inside the mouth.
- Genitals.
- Nipples
- The palm.
- Sole.
- Digestive system.
They are usually discovered by chance and have no significant clinical significance. They do not have associated symptoms. You must know that these small granules should not be touched or squeezed since, in that case, they can lead to inflammation, pain, and even infection due to mistreatment of the skin or mucosa that surrounds them.
Do Fordyce pimples go away on their own?
As we have commented, Fordyce spots are structures very similar to the sebaceous glands. Therefore, their growth or disappearance is influenced by the hormonal system. This often causes them to grow during adolescence and can decrease in size and even disappear during female menopause or over time.
About 80% of people have pimples in different places on the body, which are not medically necessary.
Fordyce granules or spots do not show symptoms or become malignant over time. Therefore removing them or not is more of an aesthetic decision.
How do you know if they are Fordyce pimples?
These formations are usually located in the sites described above and measure 1 to 3 mm. That is, they are minimal. They are typically located symmetrically.
They can be whitish or the same color as the skin. They can even turn reddish when they are located in the genital area. They are not contagious or give symptoms.
Generally, they are diagnosed by their appearance. In some cases, a biopsy may be required to corroborate the diagnosis.
How to remove Fordyce pimples?
If you intend to remove them even though you know that they are ubiquitous and do not cause any problems, you can choose one of the following options.
It is essential to opt for a procedure that does not leave scars since if you are concerned about the appearance, it is possible that an overly invasive treatment could leave marks more noticeable than the small Fordyce pimples.
To remove Fordyce stains, you can choose to:
- Wait: Fordyce granules usually disappear over time, especially during menopause.
- Improve your diet: if these granules increase in size due to hormonal influence, it is possible that by correcting your eating, exercise, and rest habits, your body will regain balance. In this way, injuries can be made less noticeable.
- Microsurgery: The granules can be removed with microsurgery. Local anesthesia is usually given to perform the procedure.
- Laser: This type of surgery is usually much more expensive, and there is a greater chance of scarring. That is why the case must be well studied to avoid the remedy being worse than the disease.
- Topical substances: a specialist in dermatology may suggest the application of certain substances to remove the spots. Among the products that can be used are chloroacetic acid and tretinoin. Both substances can be quite irritating and cause inflammation and a burning sensation.
- Oral antiacne: a drug that can be used by mouth is isotretinoin. It is a reasonably potent drug often used in severe acne cases.
Can Fordyce pimples cause other problems, like cancer?
These granules appear and thus remain without degenerating or giving rise to the formation of tumors or other complications. They usually appear in adolescence. It is believed that it is due to the hormonal increase at this stage of life. It is sporadic to see it in young children.
Most people who notice these small spots tend to do so during adulthood and may worry that it is a severe problem such as infection or malignant lesions, but in reality, it is nothing more than normal tissue out of place.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Do Fordyce pimples, remove themselves? We recommend that you enter our category of Skin, hair, and nails.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.