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Fordyce's

Fordyce's Condition is no reason to panic

It is a skin condition in which small and elevated yellow growths develop in groups on the lips, in the mouth, tongue, cheeks, female labia, and the penis. You may sometimes find it on the lower lip as well, even though it is rare. The small yellow spots are caused by an overgrowth of the sebaceous glands. They are sebaceous glands without hair follicles. It is not dangerous at all and very common under young adults. There is no correlation between Fordyce’s Condition and systemic conditions.

Fordyce’s Condition increases from childhood to adults. It is more prevalent in men. The condition is found in almost 90 percent of adult men. They may appear as single lesions or as symmetrical groups of 50. The spots are 2 to 5 mm in diameter. Surrounding tissue is not affected by the growth of the lesions. The lesion derived its name from the person who first wrote about it in 1896, John Addison Fordyce. They may cause embarrassment when they appear on the genitals, but they are harmless and cannot be sexually transmitted. They don’t have any function in the mouth and there are no pathologic changes that can be associated with them.

Causes of Fordyce’s Condition

The cause for it is still unknown, but there seems to be a generic link. It is not caused by viruses and isn’t contagious. The papules are present at birth but only become prevalent when the child reaches puberty.

Diagnosis of the condition

The doctor diagnoses it through visual inspection. The yellow color of the papules and the location is normally and indication of ectopic sebaceous glands as it sometimes called. Warts are sometimes confused with Fordyce’s Condition because the vermilion border is involved in both instances. Some sexually transmitted diseases may look like Fordyce’s Condition and the doctor will take a biopsy or blood sample if they appear on the genitals.

Treatment recommendations for the appearance of the yellow papules

  1. There is no treatment needed, but you can apply Tretinoin gel or cream daily to the affected areas. It will reverse the effects over time and prevent it from getting worse. Tretinoin is works best when it is used in combination with alpha hydroxyacid agents. It is normally used to treat acne.
  2. If the condition persists you can use Accutane. It will reappear when you stop the treatment unless you keep on using Tretinoin gel or cream afterwards. Accutane has several side-effects such as chapped lips, joint and muscle pains, temporary hair thinning, dry skin, itching, intestinal problems, nosebleed, irritation of the eyes, rash, urinary problems, poor night vision, depression, and headaches. Pregnant woman should avoid it. It may also cause damage to the liver. Consult your doctor before you use it.
  3. TCA chemical peels are sometimes prescribed, but Fordyce’s Condition return as soon as treatment is stopped.
  4. You can remove it with laser vaporization.
  5. It is sometimes removed with diathermy or liquid nitrogen freezing.
  6. Don’t pick or scratch the spots.

Since Fordyce’s Condition is harmless and appears in most adults, there is no reason to panic. You only need to get treatment for the lesions when they are ugly and cause real embarrassment. It should not interfere with lovemaking because they are painless. Young boys sometimes panic and think they have done something wrong, but a visit to the doctor sets them at ease. It seems that once we know the exact cause for these strange yellow spots, treatment will be in order. It is sometimes confused with other skin diseases. Since the cause is unknown, we cannot recommend a specific diet or vitamin supplements. It is however always good to keep oral hygiene and to eat a balanced diet that includes folic acid, Vitamins C, A, D, E, K and B complex. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to build the immune system. Garlic helps to kill any bacteria in the bloodstream and the mouth, and folic acid is needed for normal metabolism. Proper skin care around the genital areas is important but is not related to the appearance of the spots. Treatment is only needed in severe cases, but the condition normally clears up on its own.


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Visitors' Comments:

Posted by joblogs
2007-12-03
Whoa!! Im 26 and have had this crap since early teens... I always thaught i was being punished by god or something. i was way too embarassed to see a doctor and tried to ingore it. i actually tryd to pick at them and one ended up getting red and after settling back down stayed a bit bigger... dont do it. i thought i had genital warts or sumthing which i had mysteriously contracted off a towel i used when i was a kid?

Posted by lee
2007-11-19
hey im 15 iv had them on my genitals for about 2 years apparantly vinegar works does any1 no if thats true?

Posted by ko*
2007-11-14
Now I feel releived!! I noticed that I had them about a week ago and I was trying to make all sorts of excuses to get to the doctors but now I know it's so so bad :D I was scared shitless when I saw them but I'm ok now. I just hope they go away eventually...

Posted by dr.j
2007-11-05
totally normal ppl, 90% of men have this condition, the other 10% are pornsatrs, if your girlfirend wont have sex with you take that bitch to the doctor and ask the doctor to tell her that they are normal, and you will be banging in no time. dr.j

Posted by :O
2007-11-02
hey yeh ive had them since i waz about 12 and im now 17 and ive started 2 notise them go away, i been turn gals down 4 the past 2 years coz of the bloody things. just a lil advise, i scratched 1 of them off, it got rid of it.. tho i now had a scar that will prob b ther longer then the spot wud have been, so its a bad idea ppl. i paniced bout these 4 4 long years till i found out what they wher, and i bet thers still heaps of ppl worrying about it, it shud reli b made public what they are, and that there harmless and non transmitable, then theyd b acepted.

Posted by Big T
2007-10-19
wow im so glad its not warts im 19 and i have just notice these things since a couple months ago there all over my scrotum but this site made my day

Posted by ral
2007-10-14
im 15 yr and i want to know who should i see about this problem a normal doctor or an urologist?

Posted by distortion
2007-09-27
that finally puts my mind to ease, i'm 17 and i've had them since i was about 12 or 13, i've always been scared taht they were like herpees or something... i've spent ages trying to find out what tehy are but after seeing the pictures (not in a gay way) they looks the same

Posted by Anonim
2007-09-23
Oh man I feel good after seeing this was normal =D, I am 17 now and I noticed the since I was 12 and they have not gone away :S I but since I read this is harmless I feel very good, soon will g to fix it, thanks a lot for the info.

Posted by me
2007-09-16
DONT SQUEEZE THEM!!! trust ive tried it, and all it does is make them big and red. but it goes down apparently.. btw, do they spread? ive got it on my force skin and i dont want them on my, err, i dont know the sensible name for it but, 'bellend' or 'crown' thank you, and im 13

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