Question
(06/09/2011):
Title:
Do more of these spots, Fordyce's angiokeratoma, come out? .
Do more
of these spots, Fordyce's angiokeratoma, come out?
I only
seem to have 2 and I wanted to see if I should expect more, I'm only
24 years of age
Edgar
Answer:
Dear
Edgar,
Fordyce's
spots , sometime called Fordyce's angiokeratoma, are tiny, painless,
white or yellow spots, sizes 1 to 3 mm in diameter, which may appear
in the trunk of the penis, in the scrotum, vulva, in the facial angle
of the mouth, inside the mouth or in the coronal ridge of the penis,
the latter called pearly papules.
Fordyce's
spots are common in men and women of all ages. These whitish lumps
are called Fordyce spots in honor of the American dermatologist John
Addison Fordyce, who was the first person to investigate them.
Fordyce's
spots are a form of ectopic sebaceous glands.
They
are neither malignant nor infectious, many young people go to the
doctor concerned about the possibility of contracting a disease or
sexually transmitted infections, however Fordyce's spots have no relationship
or affect sexual activities, taking only a cosmetic impact.
Treatment
Although
treatment is not necessary, people can choose to apply tretinoin gel
or cream to affected areas each day.
Tretinoin
gel can reverse time and prevent worsening. For best results with
tretinoin it can be used together with alpha hydroxy acids, agents
commonly used to treat acne.
Jojoba
oil, Tocopherol and Argania extract have also been associated with
successful treatment of Fordyce's spots.
Treatments
with vaporizers as CO2 laser or electrodessication have been used
with some success in reducing the occurrence of this condition if
they are of cosmetic concern.
However,
most doctors consider this a normal physiological phenomenon
and advise against treatment.
Sometimes
the doctor may prescribe TCA chemical peels, although as soon as you
stop the treatment Fordyce' spot return status.
Diathermy
or liquid nitrogen freezing can also sometimes be used to remove the
condition
