What is sebaceous hyperplasia?
Sebaceous hyperplasia is the term used for enlarged sebaceous glands seen on the forehead or cheeks of the middle-aged and elderly.
It causes yellowish or flesh-colored bumps on the skin. These bumps are shiny and usually on the face, especially the forehead and nose. They’re also small, usually between 2 and 4 millimeters wide, and painless. A bump can have a slight indentation in the center and a white or yellow outer edge.
People sometimes mistake these bumps for basal cell carcinoma, which looks similar. Sometimes your doctor can do a biopsy of the bump to confirm whether you have sebaceous hyperplasia or basal cell carcinoma.
Treatment
Sebaceous hyperplasia doesn’t require treatment unless the bumps bother you.There are several options for removing the glands or controlling sebum buildup:
- Electrocauterization
- Laser therapy
- Cryotherapy
- Retinol
- Antiandrogen medications