Atheroma is a kind of cyst of the sebaceous gland, which can be formed for absolutely different reasons. As for the structure of this benign formation, it resembles a capsule in which detritus accumulates.
What is detritus?
Detritus is a specific content that includes epithelial cells, cholesterol crystals, fat and keratinized particles.
The main causes of atheroma on the head are not fully elucidated, as the etiology of atheroma itself is not fully specified by medicine. To be more precise, the cause is the breakthrough of the escaping passage of the sebaceous glands, which is plugged at the exit. Basically, this cyst arises from the damage or inflammation of the hair follicle.
If there is any provoking factor, there is a narrowing of the gland duct, which ultimately leads to its inability to remove the sebaceous secret outward. The structure of detritus varies depending on the formation of the capsule. That is, the more atheroma grows, the denser it becomes to become detritus. It is this factor that leads to the clogging of the outflow hole.
Sometimes head atheroma reaches eight or more centimeters.
Causes of atheroma
The most common causes of atheroma on the head are:
- damage to the sebaceous glands;
- inflammation of the scalp;
- seborrhea, which leads to damage to hair bulbs;
- genetic predisposition to the formation of cysts;
- impaired metabolism ;
- diabetes;
- wound, cut or bruise of the head;
- disorders of the endocrine system;
- lack of proper care for the scalp;
- use of hair dyes, tools for styling and curling;
- increased sweating;
- high level of testosterone in the blood.
Symptoms of atheroma
To treat atheroma on the head can be resorted only when it has already reached a certain size. The thing is that at the initial stage of its inception, the cyst does not make itself felt. To recognize atheroma, you need to know the main symptoms of its presence:
- seal on the head, which, as a rule, has a rounded shape;
- the surface of the atheroma does not affect the discoloration or structure of the skin;
- Atheroma is palpable, but it does not shift, because in the zone of localization it is partially connected with the skin;
- The cyst always has clear contours;
- often atheroma opens spontaneously, releasing a secret of white from the opening;
- because the atheroma is prone to inflammatory processes, it is able to get bogged down. In this case, it has signs of an abscess;
- in the place where purulent inflammation is formed, the skin area, as a rule, is edematous;
- the larger the size of the cyst, the faster the purulent process, in this case not only the temperature of the skin of the head but also the entire body of the person rises.
Treatment of atheroma
Treatment of atheroma of the scalp is performed exclusively surgically. Anyone who tries to cure the cyst by unconventional methods is very at risk, because this education is not capable of resolving. In some cases, even spontaneous dissection of atheroma and its significant decrease in size does not always indicate complete cure.
The most common methods of removing the atheroma of the scalp are the surgical method. It does not present any special difficulties. The only unpleasant moment in all this is that you have to shave your hair in the part where the atheroma is located.
If the atheroma of the scalp becomes inflamed, the abscess is opened and drained. Such operations are performed on an outpatient basis and under local anesthesia.
There is also a painless method of removing atheroma on the head - laser removal. Basically, it is used in cases where the cyst has not reached a large size.