What are the small lumps of flesh growing under my armpits?

The armpits are commonly known as "armpits", which are rich in sweat glands, nerves and blood vessels. The sweat glands in the armpits are relatively developed, and with the presence of armpit hair, if you don't pay attention to cleaning them regularly, it can easily lead to various abnormal phenomena. Some people find that many small grains of flesh have grown under their armpits, and they don't know what causes it. So, what are the small lumps of flesh growing under the armpits? Let’s take a look below.

This situation is probably caused by excessive accumulation of dirt in the hair follicles due to multiple hair removals. It should be noted that depilatory cream is a chemical substance, which can easily enter the hair follicles when used, thus causing the formation of granules. It is better to pay attention to local hygiene during hair removal, and be careful not to perform hair removal frequently, and maintain good living habits. If hair removal is required, it is best to use laser for hair removal.

Fibroids

Fibroids are benign tumors derived from fibrous connective tissue. Due to the different components contained in fibromas, there can be fibromyomas, fibroadenomas, fibrolipomas, etc. If there are more capillaries in the tumor, it can be called a sclerosing hemangioma. According to the amount of cell and fiber components, it can be divided into two types: fibrous and cellular. Because fibrous connective tissue is widely distributed in the human body and constitutes the gaps between organs, fibromas can occur in any part of the body. The skin and subcutaneous tissue are the most common. The patient described a small grain of flesh growing under the armpit without pain, so the possibility of fibroma is very high, and it is a fibroma grown from the subcutaneous tissue.

【Clinical manifestations】Tumors of the skin and subcutaneous tissue often present as round or oval lumps in clinical practice, with diameters ranging from a few millimeters to 1-2 centimeters, brown to reddish brown, with smooth or rough surfaces, no subjective symptoms, occasional itching, and rarely causing functional impairment at the site of compression. They are prone to occur in the 4 limbs, especially the calves, and also occur in the trunk, often in a single case.

[Diagnostic instructions] Diagnosis is usually not difficult. The treatment is surgical resection, and the specimen is sent for pathological examination. Pedunculated vulvar fibroma is relatively simple to remove, but those originating from deep tissues increase the difficulty of surgery, and preparations for blood transfusion should be made before surgery.

[Treatment Instructions] This disease is benign and will not become malignant. No treatment is required. If it is painful or the number is small, it can be surgically removed. Multiple fibroids can be injected with corticosteroids in the skin lesions or the Fuji Ning patch can be applied externally. This disease is not easy to be treated with freezing or laser.

Molluscum contagiosum

Molluscum contagiosum is a contagious skin disease caused by the molluscum contagiosum virus. The lesions appear as characteristic waxy papules or nodules with depressed apex from which cheesy molluscum bodies can be squeezed out.

Molluscum contagiosum virus is a DNA virus in the poxviridae family. It is mainly transmitted through direct contact. Patients are often infected in public bathrooms or swimming pools. It can also be self-inoculated or transmitted through sexual contact.

[Clinical manifestations] It is common in children and young people, with an incubation period of 14 days to 6 months. The skin lesions initially appear as white, hemispherical papules, which gradually increase in size to 5 to 10 mm, with a slightly concave center like an umbilicus and a waxy luster. After the top is pricked, a white, cheese-like substance can be squeezed out, which is called molluscum body. The number of lesions is variable, and they may be scattered or clustered, and generally do not fuse with each other. They can occur anywhere on the body but are most common on the neck, trunk, lower abdomen, and genitalia. In most cases, the skin lesions will disappear on their own after 6 to 9 months, generally leaving no scars.

[Diagnostic Instructions] Based on the typical characteristics of skin lesions (depression at the top like the umbilicus, waxy luster, and the ability to squeeze out cheese-like substance), it is generally not difficult to diagnose. If necessary, the diagnosis can be confirmed by finding characteristic molluscum bodies through histopathological examination of the skin lesions. Single, larger skin lesions sometimes need to be differentiated from basal cell epithelioma, keratoacanthoma, purulent granuloma, etc.

[Treatment Instructions] The first choice of treatment is scraping, with the goal of completely squeezing out the molluscum bodies in the lesions, and then applying 2% iodine tincture to effectively remove the lesions. Other treatments such as cryotherapy, topical 3% phthalamide ointment or cidofovir ointment are also effective.

Skin tags

If you have small fleshy bumps under your armpits that are the same color as your skin and are itchy, you may think they are skin tags. Skin tags tend to grow in wrinkled areas of the skin such as the neck, armpits, etc.

Skin tags are soft, skin-colored growths that are attached to the surface of the skin by a thin stalk-like tissue. The medical name for these growths is a soft stalked wart. Skin tags are not skin cancer and will not turn into skin cancer. Skin tags are typically a sign of age and are particularly common in people over 45 years old. They are more common in women, tend to be familial, and are common after pregnancy. Skin tags are most likely to grow in the folds of the skin, on the neck, armpits, torso, under the breasts, or in the genital area. They can be irritating and unsightly if rubbed by clothing or jewelry.

[Clinical manifestations] Skin tags are initially small, soft bumps on the skin surface. Over time, they grow into flesh-colored skin patches that are attached to the skin surface by a pedicle and can easily swing back and forth. Frequent rubbing of the skin tag may cause irritation, but it is not painful. If the skin tag twists at the pedicle, a blood clot will form inside it, and the skin tag may become painful.

Classification

(1) Multiple It is common on the face, neck, and armpits. The lesions are mung bean to cherry-sized, smooth, soft, pedunculated growths with a diameter of 1 to 2 mm. The surface may have grooves and are of normal skin color, light yellow or dark red. There are generally no subjective symptoms.

(2) Isolation. It often occurs in the lower part of the trunk, such as the groin and female vulva. The lesions are usually single, pedunculated, polyp-like protrusions with the same color as the multiple lesions.

[Treatment Instructions] The doctor can remove the skin tag with sharp scissors, blades, or occasionally remove it from the pedicle by freezing or burning it with liquid nitrogen. Chemical (aluminum chloride) or electrical (burning) methods can be used to stop bleeding. Because skin tags are only a cosmetic problem, not a medical problem, the healthiest strategy is not to remove them.