Benign Skin Growths Flashcards
(49 cards)
Definition and Incidence of

Acrochordon
•Common, fleshy lesions along skin folds
–neck, eyes, axilla, intertriginous areas
•Incidence:
–females > males
–uncommon before age 30
–more common with familial tendency, obesity
Characteristics of

Acrochordon
•skin-toned to medium brown color
•flat, fleshy, mobile
•attached via stalk (pedunculated)
•most persist lifelong
•symptomatic due to
–clothing
–jewelry
trauma (torsion - becomes black/hemorrhagic
D/dx and Tx of

Ddx:
- wart
- nevus
Tx:
- reassurance
- snip excision
- electrodessication
- cryotherapy
- pathology not required *
*SEND IF UNCERTAIN
Definition and Incidence of

Cafe au lait spot
•Uniformly pigmented light brown macule/patch
•Usually present at birth
–Almost always present by 1 yo
–Tendency to be inherited
- •6+ café-au-lait macules
> 1.5 cm diameter may indicate neurofibromatosis type 1
–2+ features of NF required for dx
Tx of

Cafe au lait
None
Definition/Incidence of

Cherry Angioma
- Round, slightly raised bright red papule
- MC vascular growth on the skin
- Incidence increases with age
- Asymptomatic
- Most commonly on the trunk
- Persistent
Characteristics of

Cherry angioma
- dome-shaped
- smooth
- cherry-red
- superficial trauma may induce bleeding
Characteristics and Incidence of

Cutaneous Horn
•Common, hyperkeratotic lesion
•Skin colored, horney growth
•Most frequently on face/scalp
–Also on hands, penis, eyelids
•Usually asymptomatic
•Increased incidence with age
–Risk of underlying malignancy increases with age, fair complexion
Tx of

Cherry angioma
•Reassurance – no treatment required
•Cosmetic removal
–Electrocautery
–Vascular laser (PDL, KTP)
This lesion can arise from…

Cutaneous Horn
•Can arise from benign, pre-CA, malignant lesions
Tx of

Cutaneous Horn
•Excisional biopsy
–Must include base in order to determine underlying diagnosis
–Then treatment of underlying lesion if necessary
Defintion and Incidence of

Dermatofibroma
•Common
•Firm, dense, dermal papule or nodule
•Female > Male
–Lower extremities MC
–UE above elbows
•Arise secondary to skin injury?
Characteristics of

Dermatofibroma
•Papule or nodule
•0.5 to 1 cm diameter
–max. size over mos to yrs
–usually stable thereafter
•Feels firm to touch
•Dimple sign: depression noted over thin/flat/nodular DF when grasped between thumb and forefinger
•Skin-colored to pink
What is Dimple Sign and what lesion does it indicate?
A depression noted over thin/nodular skin when grasped between thumb and forefinger
Indicative of Dermatofibroma
D/dx of

Dermatofibroma
- amelanotic melanoma
- molluscum contagiosum
- neurofibroma
- DFSP
Tx of

Dermatofibroma
- reassurance
- elliptical excision – linear scar
- shave removal – DF may recur
- Cryosurgery – can lead to PIH
- ILK if pruritic
- Excisional biopsy imperative if enlarges >2cm diameter: r/o DFSP
Definition and Indicence of

Epidermal Inclusion Cyst
•One of the most common benign tumors
•Benign, firm, mobile nodule filled with keratin
•Begin as plugged hair follicle
–common on face, neck, trunk
•Arise spontaneously
•Predisposing factors
–hair-bearing region
–trauma, friction
•Solitary > Multiple
•Usually asymptomatic
–May become inflamed s/p ruptureàconfused with infection (redness, pain, swelling, warmth)
Characteristics of

Epidermal Inclusion Cyst
- firm, dome-shaped nodule
- mobile with central plug
- soft cheese-like keratinous contents
- can be inflamed, red
- rarely infected
- grow slowly, persist indefinitely
Tx of

Epidermal Inclusion Cyst
•Reassurance
•I&D
•Excision
–If cosmetically undesirable or recurrent inflammation
–Must excise cyst wall
•Rarely antibiotics
Definition and Incidence of

Infantile Hemangiomas
- MC vascular tumor of infancy
- Red/purple/violaceous-colored benign vascular neoplasm
- Usually occurs during first year after birth (1/3 present at birth)
- 60% appear on head and neck
Superficial versus Deep Cavernous Characteristics of

•Superficial (“strawberry”)
–Dull to bright red
–Proliferate 8-18 months, then regress
•Deep Cavernous
–deeper variant
–often multiple, ill defined
–Dark red/blue
–tend to persist
–Can ulcerate, painful
Proliferative versus Involutional Phase of

Infantlie Hemangiomas
•Proliferative phase: during the first year
– with the most growth occurring during the first 4-6 months of life
–slows between the middle and end of the first year of life
•Involutional phase: rapid or prolonged
–30% by 3 yo, 50% by 5 yo, 70% by 7 yo
–Remainder take 3-5 years to involute
–Streaks or areas of white as lesion involutes
–After 6 y.o, ~40% have residual scar formation, telangiectasia, anetodermatype skin changes (increased skin laxity)
Tx of

Infantile Hemangiomas
•Usually left to involute
•Intervention when lesions interfere with function/development
–*Specialist
–Laser surgery - PDL
–Corticosteroids
–Beta Blockers
•DOC for complicated lesions
–Interferon
–Imiquimod (rarely used)
–Cryosurgery
–Excision
Defintion and Location of

Port Wine Stain
•AKA Nevus Flammeus
•Capillary malformation during development
–Always present at birth
–Pink to dark/bluish red
–Smooth texture; nodules may develop over time
•Location
–MC head and neck
•Think Sturge-Weber syndrome when in distribution of CN5











