How Is Keratosis Pilaris Treated
Although the condition may remain for years, it gradually improves before age 30 in most cases. Treatment of keratosis pilaris is not medically necessary but, individuals with this condition may want to seek treatment for cosmetic reasons.
The initial treatment of keratosis pilaris should be intensive moisturizing. A cream such as AmLactin or Lac-Hydrin can be applied after bathing, and then re-applied several times a day. Other treatments may include:
- Medicated creams containing urea or alpha-hydroxy acids applied twice daily
- Efforts to unplug pores by taking long, hot soaking tub baths and then rubbing and exfoliating the areas with a coarse washcloth or stiff brush
Learn more about keratosis pilaris.
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Molluscum Contagiosum Can Cause Doughnut
Though acne pimples are caused by bacteria on the skin, similar-looking lesions can actually be caused by a viral infection.
“Molluscum contagiosum is a viral skin condition that can cause doughnut-shaped pink or skin-colored bumps on the skin. When small, these may be confused with pimples,” Dr. Bard told Insider.
According to the British Association of Dermatologists, molluscum contagiosum is caused by a pox virus and can be spread from person to person through direct contact or sharing personal items like towels or clothes.
The condition is generally harmless and usually clears by itself, though in some people this may take between six and 18 months.
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When Should You Worry
Have your pup examined immediately if you discover a lump thats hard or firm to the touch or irregularly shaped, or if you notice a change in any existing lumps or bumps regarding size, texture, or color. Your vet should also immediately take a look at any bumps that ooze fluid. But again, while some lumps and bumps are harmless, its best to let your vet take a look at any new bumps that appear and let them make that determination.
Dealing with the possibility of tumors or infections in your dog or puppy can be costly as well as emotionally stressful for both you and your pet. Pet health insurance can help cover some of the cost, giving you one less thing to worry about and letting you focus on the best treatment options for your companion.
Itchy Bumps Under The Skin
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Causes And Types Of Raised Skin Bumps
The most common causes of raised skin bumps are harmless and do not require medical treatment unless you have discomfort. Here are some of the possible reasons for raised skin bumps:
Less commonly, raised skin bumps are caused by more serious conditions that require treatment. Certain bacterial and viral infections cause bumps and will only get worse if they go undiagnosed and untreated. These serious conditions include:
- chickenpox, a common childhood virus characterized by red, itchy bumps that form all over the body
- impetigo, a bacterial skin infection common in young children that is highly contagious and results in reddish blisters that ooze and develop a honey-colored crust
- MRSA infection, an illness triggered by a staph bacteria that commonly lives on the skin, causing a swollen, painful bump with a white center
- scabies, a skin infestation caused by a tiny mite called Sarcoptes scabiei, producing an itchy, pimple-like rash
Other types of raised skin bumps can be caused by skin cancer. There are several types of skin cancer, all requiring medical management and treatment:
Most skin bumps are harmless and arent cause for concern. However, you should see your doctor if:
- skin bumps change or worsen in appearance, or last for a long time
- you are in pain or they cause discomfort
- you dont know the cause of the bumps
- you suspect you have an infection or skin cancer
The Healthline FindCare tool can provide options in your area if you dont already have a doctor.
An Ingrown Hair Or Folliculitis
A common result of hair removal, an ingrown hair can cause a bump to form when the sharp edge of a hair that was shaved, waxed or tweezed curls back and re-enters the skin. When the hair penetrates the skin, the bodys immune system identifies it as an invader and responds with inflammation. An ingrown hair is not a cause for concern and will usually improve without treatment.
Folliculitis develops when a hair follicle becomes infected or inflamed. Also known as razor bumps, the resulting lumps can resemble pimples and are usually itchy and painful. A relatively mild case of folliculitis may resolve on its own, but antibiotic treatment might be necessary to clear up a bacterial infection.
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Basal Cell Skin Cancer May Resemble A Shiny Bump Or Pink Growth
Basal cell carcinomas often look like open sores, red patches, shiny pink or pearly white bumps, or scars. This type of cancer is often caused by repeated and unprotected exposure to UV rays.
Basal cell carcinoma is widely considered to be the most common form of skin cancer it is also considered to be the most treatable. That said, you will need to see a healthcare provider for proper treatment, which can include things such as laser surgery or radiation.
Diagnosing The Cause Of Your Skin Lump
Your doctor will ask you a series of questions to help diagnose the cause of your skin lump, such as:
- Who first discovered the lump?
- When did you first discover the lump?
- How many skin lumps do you have?
- What are the color, shape, and texture of the lumps?
- Does the lump hurt?
- Are you experiencing other symptoms?
The color and shape of the lump can be an important part of diagnosing the problem. A mole that changes color, grows in size to larger than the size of a pencil eraser, or has an irregular border is a red flag. These characteristics are signs of possible skin cancer.
Basal cell carcinoma is another form of skin cancer that looks like an ordinary skin lump or pimple at first glance. A lump could be cancerous if it:
- doesnt go away
Discuss any unusual skin lumps with your healthcare provider. You may need a skin biopsy if your lump appears suddenly and without explanation. A biopsy is the removal of a small sample of your skin tissue. Your doctor can test the biopsy sample for cancerous cells.
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Infographic: Common Signs Of A Cancerous Lump
Not all hard lumps are cancerous, but some might be. It is important to be aware of the signs of a malignant lump and get in touch with your healthcare provider right away. A cancerous lump may be difficult to identify and distinguish from a benign tumor or cyst. However, some common indicators can help you out.
Read the following infographic for some key pointers that can help you distinguish possibly malignant lumps and tumors from benign ones.
Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team
Hard lumps under your skin cannot always be cancerous. There are inflammatory, benign, and non-benign skin lumps caused due to multiple reasons. Skin tags, warts, fibroadenomas, dermatofibroma, etc., are harmless skin lumps. There are several methods to treat hard lumps, involving medications, surgical excisions, or chemotherapies. However, the first step should be to talk to your doctor, diagnose the lump, conduct tests, and examine it to identify the cause. Knowing the exact cause will help plan the treatment. You should consult your doctor immediately if the lump causes more discomfort.
How To Treat Hard Lump Under Skin
When you get a hard lump anywhere on your body, it is essential to establish whether the lump is cancerous or not. Before recommending a suitable treatment for you, your doctor will have to conduct tests and exams to determine the exact cause of the lump. Once the exact cause is determined, your doctor comes up with the most effective treatment plan for you.
- Surgical Excision
In the case of epidermoid cysts, dermatofibromas, lipomas, and ganglion cysts, the treatment with the most efficacy is surgical excision , , , . This is a surgical procedure where the surgeon completely removes the cyst using a razor blade. This procedure has been seen to be very successful in preventing the growth of these lumps.
- Electrodessication And Curettage
When it comes to keratoacanthoma, although benign in nature, doctors recommend treatment prescribed for squamous cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer. While in most cases, surgical intervention such as electrodesiccation and curettage has been seen to be the most effective. This procedure is performed to remove skin cancer cells by scraping the cancer cells with a curette, a spoon-like instrument, and then the surgical site is cauterized with electrical currents. Non-surgical interventions such as topical creams and injections have seen limited success and need to be examined more thoroughly .
Shutterstock
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Periorificial Dermatitis Can Cause Breakouts Around The Nose And Mouth
Periorificial dermatitis is a skin condition that causes clusters of small, itchy, and sometimes sore red bumps on the face. When the condition affects the lower half of the face, it may be known by the more specific term of perioral dermatitis.
Normally, periorificial dermatitis will go away once you stop using topical steroids or the irritating product. Sometimes dermatologists will also prescribe an oral antibiotic, such as tetracycline, or a topical antibiotic, like metronidazole.
Signs And Symptoms Of Skin Lumps
Skin lumps can have many different causes, which will impact how they look or feel. However, the following are some signs and symptoms that define a skin bump, says Rebecca Hartman, MD, MPH, a cutaneous oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. :
- A lump that feels soft, mushy, or squishy
- A lump that feels mobile
- A lump thats fixed
- A lump thats firm
- A lump that feels hard
- A lump thats red and inflamed
- A lump thats painful
- A lump that has a central pore
- A lump that looks well-defined under the skin
- A lump that has an irregular contour
- A lump that is growing
In addition, depending on the cause, you could experience accompanying symptoms to the skin lump. For instance, one sign of lymphoma, or cancer of the lymphatic system, is enlarged lymph nodes in your armpits, neck, or groin, along with fever and night sweats, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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How Milia Are Diagnosed
Healthcare providers can often diagnose milia based on how they look. But there are other causes of small, white skin bumps. If the cause isn’t clear, a dermatologist can remove a cyst and look at it under a microscope. This can help with diagnosis.
Basal cell carcinoma, a type of skin cancer, can also look like a pearly white bump. If you have a bump that does not go away and you aren’t sure what it is, call your healthcare provider.
Skin Tags Are Typically Benign And Painless
Skin tags are fleshy growths of skin that are commonly seen on the neck, armpits, under breasts, and between thighs. They oftentimes appear as people get older.
Massick said skin tags are benign and painless so no treatment is needed for them. She also said that if you have a skin tag that is bothering you, it’s oftentimes possible to have it removed.
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Squamous Cell Cancer Has A Changing Appearance
Like basal cell skin cancer,squamous cell carcinoma also presents as a dome-shaped red, scaly patch of skin, but Massick said this type often evolves into a bump that can ulcerate in the center or bleed easily.
This is considered to be the second most common type of skin cancer and it is also known to be caused by exposure to UV rays. Massick pointed out that basal cell skin cancer is often found in areas of chronic sun exposure, such as the head, neck, arms, or hands.
How Is A Cherry Angioma Treated
In most cases, cherry angiomas do not require treatment. If they are cosmetically unappealing or are subject to bleeding, angiomas may be removed by lasers, shave biopsy, or electrocautery — the process of burning or destroying tissue by use of a small probe with an electric current running through it. Removal may cause scarring. Learn more about red birthmarks and your skin.
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How Are Skin Cysts Treated
Cysts usually do not cause pain unless they rupture or become infected or inflamed. Most cysts do not disappear on their own without treatment. Some cysts may need to be drained to relieve symptoms. That involves piercing the cyst with a scalpel and draining it. That doesn’t cure the cyst, however. Some inflamed cysts can be treated with an injection of cortisonemedication to cause it to shrink. Cysts that do not respond to other treatments or reoccur can be removed surgically if they cause troublesome symptoms.
Keratosis Pilaris Can Cause Small Bumps On The Skin
Keratosis pilaris is a very common skin condition that causes small, hard bumps to appear on your skin like a rash. These bumps may make your skin feel like sandpaper.
“Some might mistake keratosis pilaris for acne, but it’s a genetic condition that occurs when the skin doesn’t exfoliate normally and the keratin blocks the pores, causing these tiny bumps,” Dr. Debra Jaliman, dermatologist and assistant professor of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Insider.
The bumps caused by keratosis pilaris are often light-colored and tend to crop up on the arms. Dr. Jaliman advised that the condition can be treated using lotions that contain keratolytic agents such as salicylic acid. Keratolytic agents cause the outer layer of the skin to loosen and shed, helping to exfoliate areas affected by keratosis pilaris.
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How Are Lipomas Treated
Lipomas are not removed unless there is a cosmetic concern, a compression of surrounding structures, or an uncertain diagnosis. Lipomas generally do not infiltrate into surrounding tissue so they can be removed easily by excision.
There are alternatives to standard excision. One is to manually squeeze the lipoma through a small incision. This technique is useful in areas with thin dermis, such as the face and extremities. Liposuction-assisted lipectomy also can be used to remove large lipomas with minimal scarring. Lipotherapy is another option. In this, a fat dissolving drug called deoxycholic acid is injected directly into the lipoma, leaving no scarring. Learn more about lipomas.
What Is Involved In Treatment
The goal in treating panniculitis is to bring down inflammation and relieve your symptoms. Your doctor will first try to treat the condition thats causing the inflammation. If a medicine caused your symptom, your doctor may tell you to stop taking it.
Medicines used to treat panniculitis include:
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen to bring down inflammation and relieve pain
- antibiotics, such as tetracycline, to treat an infection
- hydroxychloroquine, an antimalarial drug, to bring down inflammation
- potassium iodide to relieve symptoms
- steroid drugs taken by mouth or as an injection for a short period of time to bring down inflammation
Sometimes the bumps will heal on their own without treatment.
You can relieve the swelling and pain by:
- getting lots of rest
- elevating the affected body part
- wearing compression stockings
If treatments dont relieve the bumps, surgery is an option to remove the affected areas of skin.
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Rare And Unusual Causes
The following are more rare causes of chest bumps.
- Benign tumor: A slow-growing, benign, fatty tumor may form between the skin and the underlying muscle. It is painless, colorless, soft, and doughy.
- Malignant or cancerous tumor: Various cancers can manifest with bumps and lumps under the skin of the chest, in both males and females.
Most Common Bumps And Lumps On Puppies
Thankfully, cancer in puppies is rare. The most common types of lumps or bumps found on puppies are warts, skin tags, button tumors, and abscesses. In these cases, your vet may recommend a wart ointment or other skin treatment. There are also some products that claim to help dissolve normal fatty skin lumps on dogs. Its also not unusual for puppies to develop swelling at their vaccination injection site, caused by a conglomeration of immune cells that gather there.
Typically, this swelling subsides within a week. However, in rare cases, this gathering of cells can turn into a malignant tumor. Contact your vet if a vaccination lump lasts more than a week. They may advise you to keep a watchful eye on it and bring your pup in for a biopsy if the lump continues past three months, is more than an inch in diameter, or continues to grow or change shape.
Although its rare, it is possible for puppies to develop certain types of cancer, so its important to have any lumps, bumps, or other changes in your puppys skin examined by a veterinarian.
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