- What causes the appearance of granules
- Fordyce granules are contagious?
- What are the treatment options
- Main symptoms
Fordyce granules are tiny yellowish or whitish spots, which can appear on the lips, inside the cheeks or on the genitals, which appear naturally and have no health consequences
These granules are enlarged sebaceous glands and, therefore, they can appear at any age, being more frequent at puberty due to hormonal changes and not being related to HIV, herpes, sexually transmitted diseases, genital warts or cancer.
Although Fordyce granules do not need to be treated, there are some forms of treatment that can eliminate them for aesthetic reasons, through creams or even laser surgery.
What causes the appearance of granules
Fordyce granules are usually present from birth, however, they may not be observable. After adolescence, and with hormonal changes, these granules can become larger and become visible.
The granules can appear in anyone, but they are twice as frequent in men and in people with very oily skin.
Fordyce granules are contagious?
Fordyce granules are not contagious nor are they caused by an infectious agent like bacteria or viruses, appearing naturally in the mouth or genitals.
What are the treatment options
The treatment of Fordyce granules is done only for aesthetic reasons and it is not always possible to completely eliminate the lesions. Some of the most common options include:
- Use of ointments and creams, with tretinoin or dichloracetic acid: they eliminate skin changes, but they should only be used with the indication of a dermatologist; Micro-puncture technique: light anesthesia is applied and then the doctor uses a device to remove the granules from the skin; CO2 laser: the doctor uses a strong beam of light that eliminates the granules from the skin, however this technique can leave scars and, therefore, should only be done by a dermatologist.
These treatment techniques can be used to eliminate or disguise Fordyce granules from all parts of the body, even in the genital region.
Natural remedies such as jojoba oil, vitamin E or argan extract have been used successfully to treat Fordyce granules in combination with drug treatments.
In addition, it is always important to avoid squeezing the Fordyce granules at home, as this technique does not cause their elimination and may even increase the risk of skin infection.
Main symptoms
The symptoms of Fordyce granules are the appearance of small yellow or whitish spots, isolated or grouped, in the region of the mouth or genitals. Fordyce granules in the mouth usually appear on the upper lip, inner cheek or gums. In the genital region, especially in men, it is common for Fordyce granules to appear on the body of the penis, glans, foreskin or testicles.
Fordyce granules do not cause pain or irritation, only altering the aesthetics of the region where they appear.
In the presence of any of these signs or symptoms, the dermatologist should be consulted to diagnose the disease and discuss treatment options.
