ASK A DERMATOLOGIST

I’m a 39-year-old woman having syringoma underneath my eyes. I’ve tried some home remedies but nothing has worked.

Syringomas represent a group of small-sized benign bumpy lesions arising within sweat gland ducts. Syringomas mostly appear on and around the eyelids. Dermatoscopic examination of the lesions usually confirm the clinical diagnosis. However, in cases of solitary (single) lesion of an atypical appearance, a skin biopsy might become necessary to rule out certain types of malignant skin growths. In patients with widespread syringoma eruptions it is advisable to rule out presence of diabetes mellitus. Similarly, in extreme rare cases, certain internal/systemic syndromes have also been diagnosed in sufferers with extensive eruptions of syringomas. Treatment of syringomas is usually offered for cosmetic reasons. Many therapeutic options including use of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy, trichloroacetic acid are the chemical form of treatment. The mechanical forms of treatment include electrocauterisation, electrodessication and curettage and removal through lasers. The final choice of the treatment method will remain with your treating dermatologist.

I’m a 19-year-old male and have been wearing spectacles for about five years. Dark marks have developed on the sides of my nose where the glasses sit. Please help.

The marks could be due to one of several causes. Respecting your own suspicion that they are most likely caused through the continuous contact and pressure of the frame of your eyeglasses, this will suggest a likely diagnosis of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). PIH is usually seen on areas of the skin that have remained affected by acute or chronic inflammatory reactions of various nature. However, it can also be seen as a consequence of mild but long-standing sub-clinical inflammatory reactions in the area in question. In your case, our hypothesis is that either your frame has been a bit too tight on your nose, as such causing frictional (irritant) contact dermatitis or even certain degree of allergic contact dermatitis to the material of your glasses’ frame. Over a period of time, such mildly active but persistent contact reactions can become a precursor to an underlying inflammation in the skin. We recommend you don’t use any over-the-counter products and self treat, as it will camouflage the originality of your skin marks on clinical examination making it a more complex task to reach an accurate diagnosis for the treating dermatologist.

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