There is a hard lump in the middle of the cleavage

Women must pay more attention to their breast health. Sometimes breasts are more prone to problems. For example, people may find a hard lump in the middle of the cleavage. When such a problem is found, people naturally cannot ignore it. It is best to go to the hospital as soon as possible. Before going to the hospital, you can also understand why the symptoms of a hard lump in the middle of the cleavage suddenly appear so that you can have a general understanding.

Sebaceous cyst

Sebaceous cyst, commonly known as "sebaceous cyst", is a retention cyst formed mainly due to obstruction of the sebaceous gland excretion duct, which causes the sebaceous gland cystic epithelium to swell with gradually increasing contents. It is characterized by a slowly growing benign lesion. There is white bean curd-like secretion in the cyst. It can occur at any age, but is more common in young and middle-aged people, and is prone to occur on the head, face, neck, chest and back. Sebaceous cysts protrude from the surface of the skin and generally have no subjective symptoms. If secondary infection occurs, they may cause pain and suppuration.

Causes

The cause of the disease is obstruction of the sebaceous gland duct, which leads to sebaceous gland excretion disorder and congestion. Blockage of sebaceous gland ducts is mostly caused by dust blockage and bacterial infection.

Clinical manifestations

Sebaceous cysts protrude from the surface of the skin and are prone to occur in areas rich in sebaceous glands, such as the scalp, face, chest and back, and most of them grow slowly. When there is no concurrent infection, patients generally have no symptoms. The tumors are spherical, single or multiple, and vary in size, ranging from a few millimeters to nearly 10 centimeters. It is of medium hardness and elasticity, protruding from the skin surface, adhered to the skin, not easy to push, with a smooth surface and no sense of fluctuation. There is a needle-head-sized umbilicus-like opening in the center, which is blue-black in color and shaped like a needle-head acne. Squeezing can produce tofu dregs or noodle mud-like contents, which are sebum and broken sebaceous gland cells, often with a rancid odor. It is extremely rare for sebaceous cysts to become cancerous, but they are prone to secondary infection. If infection occurs, inflammatory reactions such as redness, swelling, heat, and pain may occur. The cyst may rupture and temporarily disappear under external force, but it will form scars and is prone to recurrence.

examine

1. Ultrasound examination

If necessary, ultrasound examination can be performed to understand the nature of the cyst and its relationship with surrounding tissues.

2. Histopathological examination

Biopsy is generally not required before surgery, but can be sent for pathological examination after surgery.

3. Laboratory examination

People with multiple sebaceous cysts throughout the body should undergo examinations of metabolic and endocrine functions.

diagnosis

The diagnosis is based on clinical manifestations and relevant examinations.

Differential Diagnosis

It should be differentiated from dermoid cyst, epidermoid cyst, subcutaneous lipoma, etc.

1. Dermoid cyst

It is a congenital cyst formed by the skin cell primordium that deviates from its original position. It is located subcutaneously, not adhered to the skin but tightly adhered to the base tissue. It often grows near the midline of the body, and is prone to occur around the eye sockets, root of the nose, occipital region and floor of the mouth. It is a hamartoma.

2. Epidermoid cyst

Also known as traumatic epidermal cyst. It is a cyst containing keratin in the dermis, which is mostly caused by trauma (especially puncture) that implants the epidermis into the dermis. There is often keratin hyperplasia on the surface of the tumor, and it is prone to occur in parts that are susceptible to trauma and compression such as the hands and ankles.

3. Subcutaneous lipoma

Lipoma is flat and lobed, located under the skin. If you push the local skin along both sides of the tumor with your fingers, an orange peel-like sign may appear.

treat

The most commonly used radical cure is surgical resection under local anesthesia. Sebaceous cysts are small tumors on the body surface. The surgery is simple and can be performed in an outpatient clinic. The cyst should be removed as completely as possible without leaving any cyst wall, otherwise it is prone to recurrence. Since sebaceous cysts mostly occur on the face, the cosmetic effect should be considered during surgical excision. A small incision can be used to remove the sebaceous cyst on the face and neck, and the skin can be sutured without tension to avoid the growth of scars and achieve a beautiful effect.

Antibiotics should be used appropriately if there is infection before surgery and to control inflammation after surgery. Sebaceous cysts that have been infected should be surgically removed after the infection is controlled. For patients whose local infection cannot be controlled or has been complicated by abscess, incision and drainage should be performed.

CO2 laser and electro-ion minimally invasive methods are considered to be good methods for treating cysts without concurrent infection. They are particularly suitable for the treatment of sebaceous cysts on the face due to their simple operation, small incision, little bleeding, no need for sutures, almost no scars, and low recurrence rate.

prevention

To prevent the occurrence of sebaceous cysts, you should pay attention to the following aspects:

1. Keep facial skin clean to keep the sebaceous glands open and facilitate the excretion of secretions.

2. When the facial skin is itchy, do not scratch it at will to avoid causing facial skin infection, damaging the opening of the sebaceous glands, causing retention of sebaceous gland secretions, and promoting the formation of sebaceous cysts.

3. Do not squeeze facial skin boils, etc.