Basal cell skin cancer may resemble a shiny bump or pink growthīasal cell carcinomas often look like open sores, red patches, shiny pink or pearly white bumps, or scars. A lipoma generally does not require treatment but if it bothers you, Massick said it can usually be excised depending on its size and location. Susan Massick, a dermatologist with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told INSIDER that if you experience this bump, try to avoid irritating it further and make an effort to clean it with an anti-bacterial wash.Ī lipoma is a slow-growing benign tumor of fat tissue and, like cysts, Massick said they vary in size and are moveable bumps under the skin. Fortunately, most cases of folliculitis resolve themselves in time.ĭr. This condition often appears as a small, red, inflamed bump that can resemble acne. Folliculitis can be irritating but it'll oftentimes resolve itselfįolliculitis is an inflammation around a hair follicle that's often partially due to an ingrown hair. This condition is generally harmless but there are some topical treatments that can help smooth out the rough texture of the bumps and decrease skin redness. Per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), these bumps are just "plugs of dead skin cells." Hart explained that KP causes rough, small bumps to appear on one's skin, most often on the upper arms and sometimes on the face, thighs, or back. The good news is that calcinosis occasionally clears on its own with no intervention.Keratosis pilaris is a harmless and fairly common conditionĪ condition called keratosis pilaris (KP) is somewhat common in adults. Having the dermatomyositis under good control may help minimize calcinosis return.
Indeed, sometimes surgery seems to stimulate calcinosis to grow back. Unfortunately, the nodules often grow back after surgical removal. Surgical excision may be used to remove smaller lesions that are confined to a single area, especially those in painful or troubling areas of the body. Larger lesions have been treated with varying degrees of success with medications such as diltiazem, bisphosphonates, probenecid, and aluminum hydroxide. Smaller lesions may respond to medications such as warfarin, ceftriaxone, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Appropriate sun-protection is always important in dermatomyositis, but it may also prevent calcinosis, since sun exposure can stimulate the immune system, which may contribute to calcinosis. In addition, increasing blood flow to the extremities, through smoking cessation, decreasing stress, and limiting exposure to cold, may be helpful. Therefore, early and aggressive treatment of the underlying muscle and skin disease with immunosuppression is strongly recommended. Inadequate initial treatment of dermatomyositis may play a role in the development of calcinosis lesions. There is no treatment that is effective for everyone. Treatment of dystrophic calcinosis can be challenging. It is hypothesized that tissue damage from inflammation and the blood vessel changes of dermatomyositis may lead to these abnormal mineral formations in the skin. Why these nodules develop is still not well-understood. Needless to say, calcinosis can have a significantly negative impact on the patient’s quality of life. The nodules can cause functional disability, contractures, skin ulcers, and pain. These lumps can be especially uncomfortable when they appear on the face, around joints, or on pressure points, such as the buttocks, feet, or wrists. Other times, it doesn’t occur until many years after diagnosis.Ĭalcinosis appears as hard, irregular nodules (lumps) in or under the skin in any area of the body. Calcinosis usually appears within the first three years after diagnosis, however, it is sometimes the first symptom to appear. In adults with myositis, about 20% of patients report this complication. These lesions may also appear in patients with overlapping autoimmune diseases, including systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and mixed connective tissue disease.Ĭalcinosis appears more often in juvenile dermatomyositis, where as many as 70% of JDM patients may be affected. It occurs in some patients with dermatomyositis. Dystrophic calcinosis is the abnormal collection of calcium salts in or under the skin and in muscles or tendons, even when levels of calcium in the blood are normal.