Fibroma is a benign tumor consisting of fibrous connective tissue. It can also be combined with other tissues: vascular, muscle, glandular, fatty.
Fibroma is formed as a result of the body's response to damage (insect bite or scratch) to the skin with the formation of fibrous tissue.
Fibroma varies in diameter from 0.2 to 1 cm, the color varies from flesh to red-violet. It feels dense and painless.
There are 2 types of fibroids: hard and soft.
Hard fibroma
It is a formation that protrudes above the skin surface in the form of a limited-mobility formation of a dense consistency, the color of normal skin or pinkish. The surface of a hard fibroma is smooth, sometimes slightly rough.
A hard fibroma most often has a wide base, less often a narrow stalk. It is detected equally in both men and women. The size of the tumor is 0.5 - 1.5 cm, in some cases it can be larger.
It can be localized on any area of the skin, less often on the mucous membranes.
Soft fibroma
Most often, soft fibroma is multiple, unlike hard fibroma. It is often localized in the groin folds, on the front of the neck, armpits, chest and skin folds under the mammary glands.
When a soft form of fibroma appears on the eyelid, in the initial stages it is mistakenly defined as xanthoma. It is more common in older women than in men. The size is from 0.2 to 1 cm. The color can be different, from identical to the skin to dark brown.
Plantar fibroma
Plantar fibroma grows on the plantar surface of the foot, most often in its middle part. In the initial stage, it is asymptomatic and remains unnoticeable.
The fibroma itself does not disappear.
Fibroma of the scalp
Fibromas of the scalp are common, and can be single or multiple. Sometimes there are up to 20 fibromas of the scalp in one patient. Sometimes they reach 7 cm in diameter.
Symptoms
This disease often proceeds asymptomatically for a fairly long period of time. The patient often consults a specialist with fibroma only after visually identifying the tumor. There is no pain syndrome among the symptoms of this disease, but in exceptional cases the inflammatory process may make itself known in the form of aching pain.
Diagnostics
Diagnostics is based on the clinical picture. During a visual examination, it is necessary to differentiate fibroma from other skin neoplasms - lipoma, atheroma and papillomas. To confirm benignity, a cytological or histological examination is carried out.
Treatment
As a rule, it does not require treatment until it causes discomfort to the patient, or until symptoms of irritation, ulceration or other phenomena atypical for fibroma appear. More often, patients seek treatment based on cosmetic considerations.
It can be removed under local anesthesia surgically, followed by a histological examination.