A fatty tissue (in medicine, a lipoma) is a benign formation that has a lobular structure and is filled with fat cells. Lipoma can occur not only in adults. Wen in newborns is an equally common problem today. If such a formation is detected on the baby’s skin, it is advisable to show the child to a pediatrician to rule out other types of tumors. In general, the wen poses no danger either to the baby himself or to his parents. We will look into the reasons for the formation of lipomas on the body of an infant in the material below.
Causes of manifestation
Wen on the face of a newborn develops under the influence of internal and external factors:
- The child has a genetic predisposition to the formation of lipomas.
- Hormonal disorders were detected in the mother's body, which are transmitted to the child through milk.
- Metabolic disorders.
- The activity of the formation of special enzymes is too low. They are produced by the pancreas and are used to break down fat cells.
- The baby has excessive slagging in the body.
Doctors are convinced that wen on the face most often appears against the background of a hereditary predisposition to this pathology. That is why you should find out in advance whether other family members have had such a manifestation. Lipoma can be inherited not only from dad or mom. It could well have been with other relatives.
Wen and milia for infants do not pose a great danger
The formation is not dangerous if there are no accompanying symptoms. The tumor does not itch or change color. Lipoma is characterized by slow development, which can continue for decades. Only in rare cases do the white spots become inflamed and grow rapidly. Parents should consult a doctor in this matter. He decides on the advisability of removal.
When is it necessary to remove a lipoma from a child?
photo of atheroma removal
To resolve the issue of removing the wen, you need to contact a pediatric surgeon.
Removal of adipose tissue tumors is carried out in the following cases:
- If the lipoma in a child has reached a large size in its growth (more than 5-7 cm).
- In case of rapid growth of the neoplasm: if 3 months have passed since the initial appointment with the doctor and during this time the wen has grown by more than 5 mm, then it should be removed.
- In children under one year of age, wen causes more careful attention from doctors, because Most often, such lipomas tend to grow. Fatty tumors in young children most often need to be removed.
- Lipoma on the face also requires more careful monitoring. Getting rid of a small wen on the face will minimize the likelihood of severe scarring in the future.
Lipoma in children can only be removed surgically. Anesthesia is carried out using local subcutaneous injection of anesthetic in older children. In children, the operation is performed under general anesthesia. General anesthesia is also used to remove lipomas on the face.
The intervention is performed in a clinic setting for small tumor sizes. In infants or with significant volumes of lipoma - in the hospital.
Before the operation, the following tests must be performed:
- General blood analysis.
- General urine analysis.
- Blood for clotting.
- Blood group test.
By decision of the doctor, the following may additionally be prescribed: blood testing for syphilis and HIV, biochemical blood test, urine according to Zimnitsky.
Types of wen and their characteristics
When working with lipomas, doctors classify them into one of the classes depending on their location.
In this case, localization is key:
We recommend reading: White pimples on the nose of a newborn
- The white wen on the nose is known as milia. They appear quite often in infants. Pimples not only occupy the nose, but can also form on its wings. Such manifestations are completely safe and cannot harm the baby’s health. As a rule, they go away on their own within three months. If there is inflammation around this formation, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor. He will select a remedy that will help relieve inflammation in a short time.
- There is also an increased risk of wen formation on the baby’s neck. If such a manifestation is located deep, it can interfere with the normal functioning of the blood vessels. That is why lipoma should be taken under the supervision of a specialist. If the wen begins to become actively inflamed, it will need to be surgically removed.
- The tumor may appear on the head. Most often it is located on the hairline. Externally, a lipoma resembles a lump. When palpated, you can notice its soft structure. Wen does not negatively affect the condition of the little patient. That is why there is no extreme need to remove it. It is advisable to perform the operation only if the child is already two years old.
- What to do if a wen appears on your cheek or chin. Education causes aesthetic discomfort and can negatively affect the psychological state of the child. Self-medication can only aggravate the clinical picture and lead to inflammation. It is recommended to be patient as the lipoma will go away within a few months.
- Only in rare cases do children develop wen on their legs. When they form multiple times, lipomatosis is diagnosed. If such lipomas do not increase in size, then there is no need to remove them. With a negative clinical picture, even a change in color is observed. If there are no other contraindications, the lipoma can be removed when the child reaches two years of age.
- Wen on the gum appears against the background of age-related changes in the body. As a rule, there will be no trace left of them when the baby has all his teeth.
- Lipomas that constantly come into contact with clothing cause a lot of discomfort. The formations may appear on the abdomen, shoulders or chest. In this case, parents are advised not to wear tight clothing for their children.
- If a tumor begins to actively develop in the ear, it is important to detect it in time. Otherwise, its excessive growth can lead to complete or partial hearing loss. The problem can only be resolved promptly.
- Fatty deposits also form on the eyelids. It is important to contact an ophthalmologist in time and make sure that such a lipoma does not threaten vision loss.
Description
Wen is a benign tumor formation formed from connective tissue.
Lipoma in a child develops in the subcutaneous layer of fibrous structures. If their growth is noted, bone tissue may be damaged.
In a baby, they may appear around the eyes, in the area of the chin, on the forehead and cheeks.
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Externally, the neoplasms resemble white pimples with no purulent contents inside the cavity. Sometimes lipomas can appear as acne.
It is also worth noting that the wen in a child after birth disappears on its own after a month and a half. If this does not happen, then you need to consult a pediatrician or dermatologist.
Features of treatment of wen
Experts are convinced that it is advisable to remove a lipoma only if it has not disappeared within six years of the child’s life. The operation is performed using anesthesia, which can negatively affect the development of the child’s body. Most often, the decision is made to observe education. In the absence of negative dynamics, fighting it is considered unnecessary.
A threat to hearing or vision is observed only in case of active growth. Additionally, a change in skin color is observed in this area. In this case, you cannot hesitate.
Diagnostics
To determine the type of lipoma tumor and make a more accurate diagnosis, the child should be examined by a pediatric dermatologist or pediatrician. As a rule, most often it is enough for the doctor to conduct an external examination and collect the necessary information regarding the life history and characteristic complaints, if any.
In more severe situations, additional diagnostic examination is carried out, and consultation with highly specialized specialists is also required.
Additional research is needed if:
- a lipoma is detected that is quite large in size;
- the location of the wen is the neck, ears or oral mucosa;
- there are signs of inflammation of a purulent or infectious nature.
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Regardless of the type of neoplasm, the child is prescribed a urine and blood fluid test for biochemistry. This is necessary to make sure that there are no pathologies of the kidneys or endocrine system.
Sometimes an ultrasound examination is also performed.
Basic recommendations
Formations in the form of nodules often appear on the face of newborns. Parents should not worry about this. Typically, complete elimination of whiteheads on the nose and cheeks can be seen by three months. Only in rare cases does clearing occur in children older than 4 months.
It is strictly not recommended to independently select treatment for wen. It can be dangerous for the baby's body. As a rule, lipomas do not cause discomfort to the child and do not affect his well-being in any way.
Parents should ensure that the wen does not become inflamed. Otherwise, you should not hesitate to see a doctor. However, if no negative changes are observed in the nodule, then it is best to wait until it goes away on its own.
It is strictly forbidden to pierce a formation on a child’s skin. In this case, the risk of infection increases. Also, such an “operation” can leave scars for life.
Lipoma on the eyelid can negatively affect vision
Likely consequences
Almost always, lipomas do not threaten the health of infants. Only in isolated cases do tumors degenerate into malignant neoplasms. The most common complication of a wen is the development of an inflammatory process.
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This phenomenon causes pain, redness, and increased temperature of the affected area. If you do not contact a specialist in time, a purulent process develops, threatening blood poisoning.
When you try to squeeze out a lump yourself, an infection often occurs. Considering that newborns have an extremely weak immune system, such a complication should be immediately eliminated by an experienced doctor.
Preventive actions
To date, there are no clearly effective ways to prevent the formation of lipomas on a child’s skin. Doctors have identified a number of factors that will help prevent the formation of wen.
Parents must ensure that simple rules are followed:
- Only low-fat and completely healthy foods are chosen in the diet.
- You should eat enough fruits and vegetables every day.
- Completely stop drinking alcoholic beverages.
- Be attentive to compliance with all standards and rules of personal hygiene.
- During pregnancy, a woman must do everything to prevent infection with viral diseases.
- During pregnancy, it is important to register with a gynecologist on time. He will prescribe all the necessary tests and studies.
- If there is a deterioration in health, the expectant mother should inform her doctor about this.
Proper care of the baby is of no small importance. It is important to do everything in order to be able to breastfeed him. Thanks to this, the baby will be guaranteed to grow and develop correctly.
Symptoms and how to distinguish them from other formations
Symptoms of the appearance of wen in newborns:
- Elastic, small, mobile bumps of yellow or white color appear on the skin.
- No pain, itching, bleeding or pus.
In infants, atheromas appear, which are benign tumors, but unlike wen, they are immobile, large in size and prone to the discharge of pus.
What to do after surgery?
So, we have already understood that in some cases a wen on a child’s face can be dangerous. Only a doctor can tell you how to get rid of it. In most cases this is surgery.
If surgery is to be performed on the scalp, the covering around the lipoma should be removed. A postoperative suture remains (even if the intervention was endoscopic), which will be removed after 7-10 days. Parents are required to ensure that the baby does not touch the seam or touch the wound. For the first few days, contact of the wound with water and various surfaces should be avoided. Rubbing clothes is also contraindicated.
Localizations on the face
Wen on a child’s face can appear not only in infancy, but also when the baby grows up a little. In this case, there are three main reasons for their occurrence: seasonal vitamin deficiency, genetic predisposition and the baby’s growth process (after all, all organs also grow, undergoing some changes, as a result of which hormonal imbalance occurs).
A wen on a child’s face (photos of such formations can be seen on the Internet) poses a danger if the baby accidentally or intentionally damages it. That is why, if a lipoma is detected, parents should immediately show their baby to a specialist.
Prevention
To prevent the development of wen in children, experts recommend that mothers carrying a child adhere to certain preventive rules:
- proper healthy eating;
- refusal of alcoholic drinks;
- regular hygiene procedures;
- of vegetables and fruits in the diet
- Constant observation by a gynecologist, fulfillment of all his appointments.
In order for a child to be healthy, he needs proper care.
Wen in a child is a benign process that in most cases goes away on its own, but at the same time it can cause some inconvenience.
You cannot squeeze lipomas yourself, as this can only aggravate the situation and provoke infection or inflammation of the tumor. Any therapeutic measures should be prescribed only by a doctor after examining the patient and studying the results of a diagnostic examination.
