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Soft fibromas resemble a fine porridge or soft, several millimeter long, skin-colored nodules or slightly darker. Sometimes they are long and threadlike. They are usually located on the torso, eyelids and neck, as well as on the neckline, under the breasts, armpits and groin, which is where the skin is most exposed to chafing. Their presence is most often genetically determined, and with age, more and more of them may appear. Fortunately, you can fight them effectively and safely. We are talking about soft fibromas, harmless neoplasms of connective tissue.
What are fibromas
Soft fibromas are proliferative changes in connective tissue that develop during the period of intrauterine life or, more often, are acquired. These benign tumors can appear at any age. Fibromas are common and can be found in almost all adults. Their number and size may increase during pregnancy. Fibromas are characterized by their cells being chaotically distributed and having abnormal morphology of the connective tissue. Based on the proportion of fibers and connective tissue cells, it is possible to distinguish between soft and hard fibromas (fiber predominance).
The causes of fibromas
Fibromas are congenital. However, some medical conditions increase the likelihood of their occurrence. Fibromas may be accompanied by:
- diabetics,
- obese patients,
- patients with endocrine problems,
- endocrine disorders,
- pregnant women whose number of fibroids may increase during this period.
Symptoms of fibroids
Fibromas are soft, hanging baggy lumps or nodules, the diameter of which usually does not exceed 2 mm, but can reach even 5 cm. Due to their consistency, they can often be inserted into the skin through finger pressure. Usually, soft fibromas have a color similar to that of healthy skin or a bit darker, brown. Small fibromas are especially often found on the neck and the nape of the neck, especially in elderly women. Soft fibromas are not painful in themselves, but may become inflamed when irritated, especially in obese people. You should then change the wardrobe to a looser one, so as not to irritate the changes. Fibromas much more often affect the psyche, cause psychological discomfort, especially when they appear in visible places on the body. Fibromas persist throughout life and although they do not tend to resolve spontaneously, they do not undergo malignancy and do not need to be removed for medical reasons.
Diagnosis of soft fibroma
Patients with fibroma most often go to beauty salons, less often to a dermatologist. And the question is almost always whether they should be removed, the more so as the procedure is performed almost exclusively for aesthetic reasons. Regardless of the location of the fibroma, its size and the reason why we want to get rid of this change (and more often changes), always consult a dermatologist who will confirm the diagnosis and suggest the optimal method of removal, especially since there are large, richly vascularized fibromas. removal of which may necessitate suturing. Beauticians, even the most experienced, are not allowed to perform treatments that violate the skin’s continuity. In the case of fibroids, consultation with a specialist doctor is always necessary. Diagnosing soft fibroma is not difficult. The differentiation takes into account cellular nevi, papillomas and lipomas.
Any skin changes should be consulted with a dermatologist. If you are unable to visit a site, use online advice. Register, take a photo of the skin lesion and send it to the doctor before the consultation. After consultation, you will receive an e-Referral and an e-Prescription.
Features of soft fibroma
The diagnosis of soft fibroma should take into account changes in the following morphological features:
- Shape,
- size,
- cohesion,
- color,
- number,
- the duration of the shift,
- location,
- painlessness
The following are very similar to soft fibroma: lipomas, papillomas and soft cellular moles. For this reason, you should always consult a dermatologist who will make an appropriate diagnosis.
Treatment of fibromas
Treatment of fibroids is not medically necessary. Only lesions that disfigure or cause physical discomfort (e.g., being pulled through clothes) require surgical intervention. When deciding on a fibroma procedure, remember that once a fibroma is removed, it may grow back. It may also form elsewhere. Dermatology and aesthetic medicine offices offer several methods of getting rid of fibromas:
Electrocoagulation of fibromas
The treatment to remove the fibroma involves treating the tissue-building proteins with high-frequency current, which increases its temperature. The protein is crushed so that the tissue can be easily removed. During the procedure, the continuity of the skin is not broken, which is why complications are rare: permanent discoloration and small scars. The duration of electrocoagulation of fibromas, depending on the extent of the lesion, ranges from several to several dozen minutes. Local anesthesia is often used, especially in the case of larger fibroids. Skin swelling, pain and bruising may occur in this area immediately after electrocoagulation, but these symptoms disappear the same day. A little longer, a few days, may be minor wounds that need to be regularly washed with hydrogen peroxide. Although it is a very good, modern and safe treatment for fibromas, there are certain diseases and conditions that are contraindications for its performance. These include: implanted pacemaker, coagulation and blood circulation disorders, diabetes, pregnancy, and the tendency of the skin to scar.
CO2 laser and fibromas
It is a method often used in aesthetic dermatology, leaving virtually no scars. The laser emits a beam of invisible light with a wavelength of 10 nm, which is absorbed by intra- and extracellular water. When the laser energy is absorbed by the hydrated tissue, it evaporates and creates a coagulation zone there, so that the removal of fibromas does not cause bleeding. The latest CO lasers2 They are equipped with super and ultra pulse functions, which means that they work in a pulse mode and there is no thermal damage to the surrounding tissues, thanks to which healing is almost always scar-free.
Contraindications to the procedure of removal of soft fibroma are:
- pregnancy,
- active bacterial or viral infection within the treated lesion,
- a tendency to the formation of keloids, i.e. overgrown hardened scars resulting from an injury or without any apparent cause.
Note:
1. There are no obstacles to perform these treatments on children, and also when the skin is tanned.
2. In the case of minor changes, local anesthesia is not necessary.
3. During the treatment of fibromas, only a slight warmth and burning sensation is felt.
4. If larger fibromas are removed, a local anesthetic is sometimes given.
5. After the treatment of fibromas, small wounds are formed that should be disinfected, eg with hydrogen peroxide.
6. In the case of larger wounds, it is recommended to apply a plaster with air-permeable dressing.
7. The healing process after surgery for fibroids lasts from a few days to 3-4 weeks.
8. Due to the formation of a new epidermis in the area of laser operation, this area should be protected from sunlight to prevent discoloration.
Freezing fibromas with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy)
It is a treatment of fibromas consisting in a short-term effect of a stream of liquid nitrogen vapor at a temperature of approx. -140 ° C on the body surface for 1 to 5 minutes. This method is most often used for filamentous fibromas, which are removed with a single 5-10-second spray or by squeezing the bloom for about 10 seconds with tweezers cooled in liquid nitrogen. Fibromas larger than 4-5 mm in diameter are frozen after being pinched with tweezers and the spray is directed parallel to the skin at the flat ends of the instrument. This method gives 90 percent. good cosmetic results for patients, without any discoloration that may appear after using a regular spray. Cryotherapy is safe for pregnant women and children.
Surgical method of removing fibromas
It is recommended for the removal of large soft fibromas. Surgical elimination of fibromas is performed under local anesthesia. A small wound should be washed with disinfectants and the dressings should be changed regularly; if seams are in place, do not get this area wet! After a week or so, the wound heals completely. Possible, but very rare complications include, first of all, bacterial infections, hematomas and keloids.
Also remember that if you want to speed up the scar reduction process, you can try the hemp regenerating cream.
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