Fordyce spots where first described in medical journal by John Addison Fordyce, an American dermatologist. Fordyce spots is a condition that manifests in form of small, pale to yellow colored granules that look like bumps. They appear on lips and other areas of the mouth. They can also appear in the genital areas. The skin condition is not a disease but a state of skin. Some people may have visible spots than others. Fordyce spots are given other names such as sebaceous prominence, Fordyce granules, or Fordyce’s spots.
On the lips, the spots occur on the vermilion border. The vermillion border of lips appears as sharp demarcation that is found between the red part of the lip and the adjoining skin of face. The spots grow in and around tissues that are moist such as the lips and mouth lining. Different treatment options are available today to help treat these spots and reduce their visibility.
Are Fordyce spots harmful?
Fordyce spots are perceived as completely harmless. They do not cause pain in an individual. These spots are not contagious; therefore, they cannot be transferred from one person to another because they aren’t an infection. They cannot be spread by bacteria or virus. That’s why it is said that Fordyce spots are a state of a person’s skin rather than a disease.
However, people who have them tend to experience discomforts because of the psychological effects they cause. Cosmetically, Fordyce spots are seen as a problem. They have effects on the psychological health of a person when they are prominently visible.
An individual may become overly concerned and conscious about their look. Where the spots are clearly visible, it causes embarrassment to the person. This could result in other problems such as anti-social behavior where an individual pulls away from other people.
It also leads to loss of confidence and self-esteem. Eventually, it may result in reduced quality of life. That’s why people try to seek for treatment so that they can regain their psychological wellbeing by reducing the visibility of the spots on their skin.
How and when do Fordyce spots occur?
While these spots are prominent at puberty, they are actually present at time of birth. They remain invisible until when an individual reaches adolescent stage. Fordyce spots emanate from sebaceous glands. It is in sebaceous glands where sebum is secreted.
Sebaceous glands last for about one week from the time they are formed, to the time they disintegrate or discharge. Sebum is an oily substance, which is released by the sebaceous when they disintegrate. Sebum helps in reducing water loss from skin, protection of skin from things like infections, and regulating body odor.
The sebum gets out of the skin through the hair follicles found in the sebaceous glands. In situations where the glands lack hair follicles, it means that the sebum does not have a means of getting out of skin. Therefore, it will most be trapped under the skin and appears like bumps or granules.
Sebaceous glands are more active in puberty and this is the time when most of the Fordyce spots are noticed. However, they may appear in any age of person. Sometimes, when they appear, they can remain forever without dissipating. Sometimes, they can decrease and disappear.
In elderly people, the spots are less when compared to young people. This may be due to the fact that the sebaceous glands are active during the adolescent age. They appear on skin and remain there with no harm or infection. They are pus free and do not cause pain. Their size varies from 2 to 3 mm in diameter but at times, they can even be smaller.
Seeking treatment for Fordyce spots
Doctors try to advise people to consider refraining from seeking treatment for these spots because they are considered a normal physiological occurrence. However, where individuals consider them as bothersome and interfering with their psychological well-being, a number of treatment options may be available.
Much of the treatment is purely for cosmetic purposes to improve the appearance of the spots. Among the treatments available are such as use of CO2 laser or lector desiccation. Cosmetic surgeons may also use pulsed dye laser. Patients should discuss with cosmetic surgeons on the appropriate treatment procedure available because the results of treatment can be different.
Some techniques may cause scars on the skin after treatment. A new technique known as micro-punch promises more effective results in treating these spots compared to other techniques. In as much as people would want to treat Fordyce spots on lips, they should weigh the benefits of treatment and the side effects.
It may also be costly to undertake these treatment procedures. Where the spots are not causing psychological damage such as anxiety and depression, a patient may want to learn how to cope and live with them.
