When a baby has a fairly dense neoplasm that has a rounded shape, which is localized under the upper layer of the skin, we can confidently say that it is a wen. He is very mobile and does not change the color of the cover on which he decided to form. It is completely painless when trying to examine it closely or with palpation. But to confirm that such a neoplasm is a wen, only a dermatologist can.
What to do if there are wen on the face of a child? How harmful are they and how to get rid of them? More about this below.
What causes adiposes in children?
Fatty acids, as a rule, are formed on those parts of the body where the largest accumulation of subcutaneous tissue is. The same applies to how wenes form on the face of a child. The reasons are completely different.
The reasons for the appearance of such neoplasms (they are also called lipomas or atheromas) include the following:
- metabolic disorder;
- violation of the baby's body function to properly break down fat;
- if parents carry out insufficient hygienic care for their baby, this can lead to the appearance of atheroma;
- environmental conditions of the child are not satisfactory enough;
- neutrophic genesis of a certain part of the body is violated, which ultimately leads to uncontrolled proliferation of fatty tissue;
- the work of the sebaceous glands is blocked, and there is a genetic predisposition to this phenomenon.
All this sooner or later provokes a situation in which wen appeared on the child’s body or face.
Problems of newborns
Quite often it happens that infants are found adipose. They appear due to the fact that for the first time after the birth of the sebaceous glands, the crumbs are not yet ready to remove decay products from his body. Fat on the face of a child is more common. True, it happens that they are located on the body of the baby and even in the mouth.
Localization on the face
Fat on the face of a child can appear not only in infancy, but also when the baby grows a little. In this case, there are three main reasons for their occurrence: seasonal vitamin deficiency, a genetic predisposition and the baby’s growth process (after all, all organs also grow, undergoing some changes, as a result of which hormonal failure occurs).
The fat on the child’s face (photos of such formations can be seen on the Internet) is dangerous if the baby accidentally or intentionally damages it. That is why in case of detection of lipoma, parents should immediately show the baby to a specialist.
Zhirovki in children on different parts of the body
Specific neoplasms can appear on the skin of completely different parts of the baby’s body. Moreover, there is not only a single, but also their multiple localization.
Nose. Most often, adipose tissue in this place occurs in newborn babies. They can represent only a conditional danger, but it is not recommended to damage them. The task of both parents is to monitor all the actions of their baby, because he should not violate the integrity of the lipoma, causing tissue infection.
Legs. This part of the baby's body is recognized as the safest zone on which wen can be located. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the recommendation of a specialist is not required. Indeed, most often neoplasms in these places mean hormonal imbalance, which should be corrected.
Gums. At this point, a lipoma can form in babies who are not yet a year old. After the teeth erupted, the neoplasm resolves on its own.
The ears. If the neoplasm is quite massive, then this can lead to hearing impairment.
Head (its hairy part). These wen are the most dangerous. Often they are quite dense, although it depends on how deep the conglomerate is located. In no case should you delete them yourself. The surgeon performs removal only when the child reaches school age.
Cheeks. This place is almost ideal for the formation of wen. This is due to the fact that a significant number of glands of sebaceous secretion are located in this zone. In the case when the ducts are not sufficiently developed, and a neoplasm appears.
Harm from a lipoma to a baby
But there are situations when such neoplasms can cause harm to the baby. For example, if a lipoma (or atheroma) is located on the neck, the danger lies in squeezing the blood vessels, liposarcoma may begin.
If the wen is located on the head of the child, then the danger will arise only if it is damaged. A baby may begin thrombosis of the venous sinuses of the brain.
If a lipoma or atheroma is located on the tummy of the child, the result of non-intervention by specialists may be an abscess, phlegmon.
In the case when a wen is located on the face of a child, treatment should be started as soon as possible, because it is dangerous only if damaged. Neurotic disorders and depression are possible.
If the lipoma (atheroma) is on the arm, leg or back, there may be sepsis or phlegmon.
Where else can adipose be located
Fat on the face of a child can be located on the forehead. When the need arises, it is removed when the baby reaches school age. If surgery is carried out earlier, irreparable harm can be caused to health. A lipoma located on the ear or parotid region is removed when it interferes with full hearing.
If such a lump is found on the neck and it is large enough, it is possible that the doctor will offer to eliminate it so that there are no complications in the circulatory system.
Only a specialist will tell you how to remove a wen on the face from a child. You cannot take any steps yourself. If the lipoma is located on the scalp of the baby, it is removed almost always. But if the baby is still too small, the operation will have to be postponed.
If the neoplasm is found on the back, tummy or chest of the child, it should be removed only if its integrity is constantly violated. For example, a baby constantly damages a fat conglomerate with clothes, and this leads to suppuration of the wound and the spread of infection to the tissues that are nearby.
How to remove lipomas in babies?
There are several ways to eliminate adipose in children: since conservative methods in the form of using drugs, excluding surgical intervention, are far from always being useful and effective, the doctor may advise an alternative option for recovery. How to remove a wen on the face of a child (and in other places of its formation)?
There are five modern methods of removing wen:
- Cryodestruction of the wen: the effect on the wen of vapors of liquid nitrogen. The advantages of this method are that subsequently there is no scar.
- Endoscopic intervention: first, anesthesia is performed, then the surgeon makes a small incision, penetrates it and destroys the fat conglomerate by extracting it out. The process is monitored using an endoscope that is equipped with microscopic cameras. The only negative of this method is that there is a high probability of relapse. The pluses include the absence of sutures after surgery and the fact that the rehabilitation period is very short. If the child has not reached school age, such intervention is contraindicated.
- Puncture method: fat conglomerate is pierced with a special needle, and the contents are then aspirated. The doctor places a napkin in the puncture site, which is moistened with an antiseptic solution, and fixes with an adhesive plaster.
- Elimination of lipomas with a laser beam. First - local anesthesia, then - dissection of the skin with a surgical laser; they also cauterize blood vessels to avoid bleeding. The fat conglomerate and its capsule are destroyed by a laser beam, and the surrounding tissues are not affected. The operation lasts 15-20 minutes. Scars and relapses usually do not happen. The only drawback is that it can be performed for children older than five years.
- Surgical excision of the wen with the capsule. This is a fairly radical method. First, the doctor anesthetizes the necessary area with local anesthesia, then, using a scalpel, performs a dissection, takes out a wen together with the capsule, and sutures. If the lipoma is large, then drainage is established. The advantage of this method is that relapse is very rare. The disadvantage is a pronounced scar.
The main stages of preparation for the operation
If the wen is supposed to be eliminated with preliminary anesthesia, the parents talk with the anesthetist who learns about the condition of the child’s cardiovascular system and checks with mom and dad how much the baby tolerates different medications.
Before surgery, you must pass the tests:
- a clinical blood test, because the doctor must understand how much blood the child can clot;
- hormonal panel and biochemical components;
- blood to determine sugar.
What to do after surgery?
So, we already understood that in some cases a wen in a child’s face is dangerous. How to get rid from him, only the doctor will say. In most cases, this is an operation.
If surgery is to be done on the scalp, cover should be removed around the lipoma. There remains a postoperative suture (even if the intervention was endoscopic), which will be removed after 7-10 days. Parents must ensure that the baby does not touch the seam, does not affect the wound. The first few days should avoid contact of the wound with water and various surfaces. Friction of clothes is also contraindicated.