Fordyce Spots

Fordyce spots






Fordyce spots are small bumps measuring from 1-3 mm in diameter that develops on the skin surface. They are also called Fordyce granules caused due to the prominence of sebaceous gland. Normally the bumps or spots are harmless but it may become a concern for cosmetic purpose. No treatment is required for clearing these spots. It would bother men if they observe Fordyce spots on penis. Many times, it is confused with sexually transmitted disease and cancer. It is very common for men to have such spots in their genitals and this does not imply any serious health issue.

Symptoms :

Tiny spots are seen anywhere on the surface of the skin. The lesions do not cause any pain and generally do not produce any symptoms. For some people, mild irritation can occur. Though it can develop on person of any age group, still the number of spots is large in aged people. The size of the Fordyce spots may be small or large seen on the wet tissues and on the mucosal surfaces.

Causes :

Sebum is the oily fluid secreted by the sebaceous gland. When this oil gets blocked in the gland which does not contain any hair, it slowly converts into lesions or bumps. Normally the sebum is sent into the hair follicle or hair shafts. When no hair is present, it causes bumps called Fordyce spots.

Unlike pimples, which may develop pus after bacterial infection, this spot is harmless and does not belong to the type of skin infection. Bacteria invade on the spots and causes inflammation and irritation. These spots are not contagious in nature but generally occur in more number on adults and old age people.

Treatment :

Fordyce spots do not require any treatment, since it will fade on its own. But people prefer to take treatment because of the area in which it occurs is prominent. Some doctors perform laser therapy using CO2 laser for desiccating the spots and reducing their size. Many doctors are against providing any treatment for Fordyce spots. Dye laser is also used for treating prominence of sebaceous gland and it does not leave any scar.

However this spot formation can be a concern for cosmetic reason for many women. You can try some products like Tretinoin gel available over the counter for reducing the size of the spots. You can also try using hydoxyacid gel for treating Fordyce spots.

Some people treat this type of lesions with laser therapy for reducing sebaceous prominence. Cryotherapy is also performed for curing these spots in which liquid nitrogen is applied over affected area for freezing the bumps.

The nature of therapy depends on the area in which Fordyce spots had occurred. In case the spots appear on the lips, then using chemical peel treatment is not advised.

Pictures of Fordyce Spots :

Images, Pics, Pictures and Photos of Fordyce spots

Home Remedies :

You can include more garlic foods in your diet since it is an excellent antioxidant for healing wounds and infection. You need to keep the organs clean and dry and moist-free for preventing any infection. Include foods rich in Vitamins so that even if Fordyce spots occur, it will heal rapidly.

Fordyce spots – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Pictures

Fordyce Spots – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Pictures

What are Fordyce’s spots?

These are also known as Fordyce granules, Fordyce’s condition as well as “sebaceous prominence”. These are painless, small, pale spots or bumps 1 to 3 mm in diameter. These bumps are harmless, but are often a big concern for cosmetic reasons. There is currently no treatment which is standard for these spots and physicians don’t normally recommend treatment. It is however possible to reduce the distinctions of these spots, or get rid of them completely.

These spots are usually large, superficial sebaceous or oil-producing glands seen on the moist tissues which line some organs as well as body cavities or mucosal surfaces. These sebaceous glands are not associated or linked with follicles of hair. These lesions are asymptomatic, but irritation or itching can occur if individuals treat these same bumps improperly.

Fordyce spots may appear at any point in life but usually the frequency of appearance increases with age, with elderly individuals having the largest number.

Fordyce spots Causes

These Fordyce spots are believed to be caused by sebum which is the natural oil of the skin. This oil gets trapped in a sebaceous gland that does not have hair. In most cases, sebaceous glands open into a hair follicle and its oil is secreted up the hair shaft. But in the case of Fordyce spots, no hair means there is no way to discharge the natural body oil secretions. Therefore, the cause of the bumps.

Pimples develop in sebaceous glands with a blocked opening. They lack this essential route of escape. As well, bacteria cannot gain entry either

Bacteria live on the skin of everyone and these bacteria feast on the sebaceous oil. As the bacteria feasts, they grow, causing surrounding tissue to become inflamed and painful – and this is the development of a pimple. But Fordyce spots or sebaceous prominence do not cause pain nor have any symptoms of pus – and basically are not a skin infection.

Fordyce spots are not an infectious disease that can be spread around but instead are a natural occurrences on the adult skin. But, because many men find pimples unattractive, they seek help for them.
Most of the time, healthcare professionals advise against any treatment. Nonetheless, laser treatment for sebaceous prominence has been demonstrated to some success to reduce Fordyce spots which are notable.

You're reading Fordyce spots – Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Pictures posted by minhhai2d, the information is for reference only.

Fordyce spots Treatment

Eventually Fordyce go away without any treatment. Many individuals do just use this approach for these spots. They are benign as well as being self-resolving. But others find these spots a concern cosmetically and for these individuals there are numerous products available which can help the spots go away at a faster rate.

One such product is known as Tretinoin gel or cream and it is a very popular Fordyce spots treatment. Many report that by using this product the prominence of the spots was reduced. Experts believe that this product can be even more effective when used in combination with an alpha hydroxyacid agent.

Another treatment is associated with Trichloroacetic Acid chemical peel. This product helps to peel off the skin on the spots. This then in turn causes significant improvement in the appearance of the spots. But, this treatment when used on the lips can make the area very sensitive – making it a requirement to keep the lips moisturized. When the treatment is stopped there is a chance of the spots returning.

Your primary care physician can talk with you about getting rid of these spots with a procedure known as cryosurgery. This involves the destruction of the bumps using cold temperatures. There is the chance that this method can cause tissue or nerve damage in adjacent areas surrounding the spots.

Fordyce spots Home Remedies

There are not many home remedies for Fordyce spots. This could be because most people ignore this skin disorder and just wait for them to go away on their own. But there are some tips which can be used to make the spots fad or go away faster.

• Garlic is an effective remedy. Start including garlic in your diet and you will probably notice significant improvement.


• Good personal hygiene is necessary to avoid these spots from getting aggravated.


• Any diet which is rich in Vitamins B Complex, A, C, D, E and K, helps in reducing these spots and causes them to resolve faster.

As already mentioned this condition of the skin is harmless and is not a health concern. It is only a cosmetic concern especially when it occurs on the lip and cheeks. They do not stay long having a short life span so there is really no reason to treat them.

Fordyce Spots Pictures