A fairly common pathology in men is the formation of tumors on the scrotum and testicles. Most often this problem is faced by men aged 15 to 40 years.
Neoplasms can be benign or malignant. Therefore, some (harmless, not causing discomfort) do not require treatment, others can provoke an inflammatory process and lead to serious complications.
If you do not try to get rid of the pathology on your own, you can avoid serious consequences. However, to clearly understand the problem and realize the need to see a doctor, you should know the nature of the formation of lipomas, the causes and signs of pathological manifestations.
Features of formations
A lump on the scrotum is far from a rare occurrence. Quite often, men exhibit these neoplasms in single and multiple clusters. Wen can be the size of a pea or reach the size of a chicken egg (12 - 15 cm in volume). The characteristics of the wen on the scrotum made it possible to divide the neoplasms into several types:
Lipoma. | It looks like rounded subcutaneous tubercles, painless to the touch, flesh-colored or yellowish in color. Upon palpation, a soft movable compaction located in the capsule is detected. This type of benign tumor is characterized by slow growth. Therefore, for a long time the patient does not experience any discomfort, does not seek medical help, or is observed by a specialist without any drug or surgical treatment. However, there are cases of rapid growth of lipoma, which must be immediately removed surgically. |
Atheroma | The neoplasm, which has the second name “epidermal cyst,” occurs on the outer layer of the epidermis. Formed as a result of blockage of the sebaceous ducts. The size of the atheroma can be equal to several millimeters, or can reach a large grape. Upon palpation, one can discern a denser consistency than that of a lipoma, mobility is more limited, there is no pain, the shade matches the color of the skin. Upon deep examination, you can notice the presence of a dark dot in the center of the formation, which may indicate clogging of the fatty tissue ducts. A feature of atheromas is frequent inflammatory processes accompanied by tissue suppuration, unlike lipomas. |
Milia | Formations in the form of white or yellowish nodules, with clear boundaries, rising above the skin surface. Wen of this type often manifests itself as multiple accumulations of subcutaneous capsules with an accumulation of fat. Typically, the diameter of neoplasms consisting of adipose tissue does not exceed the head of a pin. |
Quite often, having discovered these neoplasms on the scrotum, many assume that these are symptoms of infectious diseases, in which the foreskin is covered with vague pimples. Because of such beliefs, frequent divorces occur. However, you should not draw premature conclusions; in order to understand the problem, you need to find out the causes of neoplasms, for which you should contact a dermatologist.
Symptoms of scrotal angiokeratoma
The main and, often, the only manifestation of angiokeratoma is a rash, which appears at the onset of the disease and accompanies it until complete recovery. This pathology is not a tumor, despite the similarity of the processes. Distinctive features of rashes with Fordyce scrotal angiokeratoma are:
- Presented in the form of papules (nodules);
- Bright red color;
- The diameter of the elements is from 1 to 5 mm;
- The surface of the nodules is smooth or slightly rough;
- At the beginning of the disease there are single rashes that merge over time;
- As angiokeratoma progresses, the nodules increase in size and change their color to a darker one;
- They are located along the superficial venous vessels.
If nodules are injured, they may bleed, since the surface of the rash is thin. Over time, the nodules do not disappear.
In addition to the rash, there may be itching and burning in the scrotum area. With frequent trauma to the scrotum due to bleeding, a man experiences anemia, which is clinically manifested by pale skin, weakness, drowsiness and fatigue. However, these manifestations are rare and in most cases, a person, apart from rashes, does not worry about anything.
Reasons for appearance
Wen on a man's testicles is far from uncommon. Even if it does not cause painful discomfort, many men experience serious psychological distress regarding the aesthetic appearance of their genitals. Moreover, the neoplasm can manifest itself as multiple clusters of tubercles, unpleasant for visualization. The average size of wen does not exceed 5 mm, but significantly spoils the appearance of the genitals.
There are many reasons that provoke the development of pathology:
- metabolic disorders, which leads to blockage of the sebaceous glands, causing the formation of fatty seals under the skin of the scrotum;
- hereditary factor influencing the formation of lipomas on the testicles;
- overly active or suppressed sexual manifestation of male libido;
- failure of the immune system as a result of frequent colds and infectious diseases;
- disruption of the digestive system, affecting the reduction in the breakdown of fatty acids;
- improper functioning of the endocrine system, affecting dysfunction of the scrotal tissue;
- the patient has sexually transmitted diseases;
- low mobility (sedentary lifestyle), which has a detrimental effect on the functioning of the pelvic organs;
- increased sweating of the perineum, associated with improper hygiene of the intimate area;
- bad habits (alcohol abuse, smoking, drug addiction);
- disruption of the production of sex hormones;
- frequent stress that provokes nervous excitability.
If a patient is diagnosed with a metabolic disorder, wen may appear not only on the genitals, but also on other parts of the body. In addition, there are many reasons for the formation of benign small tumors on the scrotum, and only a comprehensive examination will determine the true factor that influenced this patient’s condition.
Prevention and treatment
To prevent black rashes on the testicles, you should follow simple rules:
- Take a shower regularly, especially during the hot season.
- Wear underwear and trousers appropriate for the weather, avoid overheating and do not expose your genitals to cold.
- Ignore synthetic underwear. Choose natural, breathable fabrics.
- If you need to shave the hair in the groin area, do it correctly: after steaming in a bath or shower, using short, light strokes of the razor. Do not use men's depilatory creams, they damage the skin.
- If you find black or red dots or any rashes, there is no need to pick them.
- Use contraceptives to protect against infection.
Complex treatment of ordinary comedones is not required. Depending on the cause and complexity of the disease, treatment for rashes on the scrotum can be different. Internal and external remedies may be required. For example, if formations appear due to hormonal imbalance, hormonal therapy will be needed. Often, one examination by a dermatologist is enough to determine the cause of the rash.
It is important to remember that each case is individual, and at the initial stage, any disease is easily treatable. Some types of black spots on the testicles can cause serious harm to a man's health.
Any changes affecting the intimate area are usually perceived painfully by a man. This is understandable, given the abundance of possible negative reasons underlying some changes. In particular, suddenly formed black dots on the male testicles can cause concern. What they are, where they come from, and most importantly, how to get rid of them - these are the main questions that arise in this case.
Sometimes this sign indicates the development of a pathological process or infection. In other cases, it is a normal skin reaction that does not require treatment. The nature of formations can be determined by a combination of signs. Possible reasons include:
- atheroma;
- hyperhidrosis;
- seborrhea;
- hormonal imbalances;
- infections.
It is also necessary to take into account the characteristics of the skin in this area, as well as the conditions in which it is located. It is these factors that influence the formation of various skin reactions and the development of fungal and viral infections.
When to see a doctor
If you find a wen on your genitals, you should not immediately panic; you need to contact a specialist who will conduct a comprehensive diagnosis and prescribe the optimal treatment. A visit to a dermatologist, surgeon or urologist should not be postponed in the following cases:
- obvious swelling and redness of the skin are noticeable on the scrotum;
- the wen causes pain;
- the wen on the penis increases in size;
- there is difficulty urinating;
- discomfort is felt during sexual intercourse.
Since there are no medications that promote tumor resorption, if these symptoms occur, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.
What do spots on the scrotum in men mean?
There are several things that can cause spots to appear on the scrotum as well as the penis. Some spots are considered normal, while others are considered dangerous. The only way to be sure of this is to visit a doctor. He will conduct an initial examination and prescribe appropriate tests to select the necessary treatment.
One of the possible causes of spots on the scrotum is swelling of the hair follicle. Typically, such spots have the shape of a small bump and, when palpated, become quite dense. They don't need treatment. The causes of inflammation of the follicle are frequent shaving, which leads to the formation of small abscesses.
In addition, the causes of spots can be warts and genital infections, such as herpes.
Methods for removing wen
Many men, having suffered from this problem, wonder: how to get rid of wen on the scrotum?
In fact, there are several options for eliminating the problem. However, this is possible after a comprehensive examination, which will confirm that this is a benign neoplasm.
Surgery
A completely affordable, radical method that gets rid of large growths. The patient is given local anesthesia, after which the tumor is resected. The fatty tissue in the groin is removed along with its membrane to prevent the recurrence of the tumor.
Laser surgery
A fairly common method for removing benign skin lesions. Since the laser effect stops the work of small blood vessels, the operation is bloodless and permanently removes the tumor along with the capsule. In addition, after the operation the wound is disinfected, which prevents the risk of infection.
Radio wave excision
Using this method, it is possible to get rid of the wen completely, without residual scars on the scrotum. During the operation there is no bleeding or pain on the head of the penis.
Liposuction
The procedure is carried out using a special device that sucks out the sebaceous contents of the capsule. To do this, a small incision is made on the tumor into which a catheter is inserted. However, this method cannot guarantee the absence of relapse, since during the operation it is impossible to visualize the complete removal of the pathogenic fat layer.
Treatment
Fordyce's angiokeratoma itself does not require treatment. But if the spots cause irritation or are otherwise causing concern or discomfort, you should consult your doctor about removing them.
He may recommend one of the following removal methods:
- Fulguration (plasma burning) and curettage (scraping). The specialist will use a local anesthetic to numb the area around the spots. Once the area is numb, he uses tools to remove the tissue.
- Laser removal. Laser techniques, such as pulsed dye laser, are also used to remove dilated blood vessels that cause blackheads.
- Cryotherapy. The tissue around the black spots is frozen and removed.
If it is the cause of blackheads, it can be treated with a medicine called agalsidase beta (Fabrazyme). This medication must be administered regularly to help the body break down excess fat that has been created in the cells. Because the gene mutation prevents enough of a certain enzyme from being created to naturally break down that fat.
The doctor may also prescribe a medicine to treat pain in the arms and legs, such as gabapentin (Neurontin) or carbamazepine (Tegretol).
Forecast
The disease has a benign course, and accordingly the prognosis for scrotal angiokeratoma is favorable for life, health and ability to work. In rare cases, pathology can affect internal organs. In this case, the prognosis will depend on the severity of the changes and the localization of the processes.
Angiokeratoma of the scrotum also does not affect sexual function. A man can have a sexual life and have children.
The ability to work is maintained, but it is recommended to avoid heavy physical exertion and prevent work in chemical production to stop the development of the disease and prevent relapses after treatment.
How to remove wen in the skin of the scrotum at home
It’s better not to do this on your own. We know of cases where people try to squeeze out atheromas, pierce them with a needle or a knife. All this usually led to serious inflammatory complications and suppuration. There is a risk of losing the testicle when bacterial microflora spreads to its membranes.
Such experiments have two outcomes:
- In the best case, after inflammation, the wound heals, but atheroma relapses, that is, the wen appears again because the gland capsule remains in the skin, and sebum continues to be produced.
- The patient is admitted to the hospital with purulent melting, phlegmon of the scrotum and the risk of testicular amputation.
At the initial stages of the inflammatory process, after self-removal of wen, men turn to us. Most often, we can help them at the outpatient stage. Antibacterial therapy is prescribed, pus and the atheroma itself are removed. In severe cases, it is necessary to send the patient to the hospital.
Expert recommendations
- Pathologies of the scrotum and testicles can be hereditary, but the course of pregnancy is also of great importance for the normal formation of the fetus. Colds, infectious or viral diseases of the expectant mother can cause problems in the development of the fetus, including delayed testicular descent and dropsy.
- Smoking, especially during pregnancy, is a direct path to the development of such pathologies. Therefore, the expectant mother must approach the period of waiting for the birth of her child very responsibly.
After birth, follow the instructions of your pediatrician and be sure to consult with specialists in case of the slightest deviation from the norm.
What does a lipoma look like?
Lipoma has several typical features that allow it to be distinguished from other neoplasms. This is a painless spherical formation, which is located under the skin and is characterized by mobility, as well as a fairly dense consistency. Wen can be only 0.5 cm in size, but in some cases it grows quite large. In general, such a tumor tends to grow. With constant pressure or friction, the wen can become injured, inflamed and suppurate.
Most often, small wen does not cause any discomfort to its owner, except aesthetic.
Possible complications
When a wen appears on the scrotum or genitals, you should not immediately sound the alarm and cause panic. This benign tumor is not at all dangerous and does not in any way affect the functioning of the male genitourinary system. However, you should definitely pay attention to a lipoma if the following symptoms appear:
- Pain syndrome. A benign neoplasm does not cause pain, and discomfort can only occur with strong pressure. But if the wen begins to bother you, then this may indicate the beginning of an inflammatory process developing in the epidermal tissues of the genital area.
- Intensive growth. The adipose tissue that forms the lipoma cannot immediately fill the capsule, which is the shell of the ball. If you suddenly notice that a lump on the testicles, which was previously diagnosed by a dermatologist as a lipoma, has begun to rapidly increase in size, then this should be a reason to consult a doctor as soon as possible. It is likely that the neoplasm tissue was exposed to certain negative factors, which resulted in the degeneration of the wen into a malignant tumor.
- Pain in the balls while moving. This symptom may indicate that the lipoma is located near the internal reproductive organs, constantly in contact with them while walking. Subsequently, this circumstance can provoke the development of testicular dystrophy or inflammation.
- Various dysfunctions of the reproductive system. The appearance of problems in the functioning of the organs of the genitourinary system indicates that the wen has grown to a critical size, due to which the urethra or organs responsible for potency, as well as providing blood flow in porous vessels, the spermatic cord and testicles, are pinched.
Each of these symptoms represents a developed complication caused by the presence of a lipoma in the scrotum. In this case, it is mandatory to undergo a full medical examination of the genital area and, if necessary, undergo surgery.
Lipoma inflammation
An inflammatory process in a wen of any location is a serious reason for an immediate visit to the doctor. The development of such a condition can be suspected by:
- Redness and soreness of the wen.
- Rapid increase in tumor size.
- Pain on palpation.
- Increased skin temperature over the lipoma.
Any discomfort and pain in the lipoma area may indicate a threat of inflammation. The inflamed wen definitely needs to be removed.