What is a sebaceous adenoma?

A sebaceous adenoma is a small bump on a gland in your skin (sebaceous gland). It’s a harmless, benign tumor in a hair follicle.

If you have several sebaceous adenomas, it’s called sebaceous hyperplasia.

Hair follicles anchor hairs to your skin. Sebaceous glands are small organs in your skin. They contain sebocytes, cells that secrete an oily substance called sebum into your hair follicles. The substance from the sebaceous glands helps lubricate your skin and hair.

Is sebaceous adenoma cancer?

A sebaceous adenoma isn’t cancerous.

Is sebaceous adenoma common?

About 1% of healthy people develop a sebaceous adenoma. In people assigned male at birth (AMAB), it often happens in their 80s. In people assigned female at birth (AFAB), it often happens just after menopause.

Who might get sebaceous adenoma or sebaceous hyperplasia?

Sebaceous adenoma can occur on anyone, but it’s more common in:

• Babies.
• People who’ve reached middle age.
• Those who are immunosuppressed (for example, a person who received immunosuppressants to receive an organ transplant).
• Those with genetic syndromes such as Muir-Torre, a form of Lynch syndrome.

What causes sebaceous adenoma?

Hormone changes can cause sebaceous adenoma and sebaceous hyperplasia.

For example, as you age, you have lower levels of androgen. That leads to a lower turnover of sebocytes, which stimulates the creation of more sebocytes within your gland. Another example is in babies, who still have maternal hormones circulating. These hormones can cause sebaceous adenomas for a few weeks.

What does a sebaceous adenoma look like?

A sebaceous adenoma is often shiny, small (up to about 3 millimeters [mm], usually ranging from 2 mm to 9 mm) and soft. It’s usually surrounded by noticeable blood vessels and is yellow, tan, pink or skin-colored.

Sebaceous hyperplasia can occur anywhere on your body, but is most common on your:

• Cheeks.
• Chin.
• Forehead.
• Nose.
• Upper trunk (chest).

How is sebaceous adenoma diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider can diagnose sebaceous adenoma or hyperplasia based on a skin exam. They may use a dermoscope, a microscope that helps your healthcare provider get a magnified look at your skin’s surface.

You don’t need any tests or lab studies.

Rarely, your healthcare provider may recommend a skin biopsy to make sure the bumps aren’t basal cell carcinoma.

How do you get rid of sebaceous adenoma?

Sebaceous adenoma and sebaceous hyperplasia don’t require treatment. When irritated, they can cause bleeding, discomfort and itchiness. If the bumps bother you because of how they look or feel, certain medications and procedures may help.

Medications include:

• Antiandrogens (in people AFAB).
• Isotretinoin pills or capsules.
• Trichloroacetic acid (rubbed onto your skin).

Medical procedures to remove the bumps include:

• Cauterization, burning the lesions off of your skin.
• Cryotherapy, using an extremely cold substance to destroy the tissue.
• Excision, cutting the bumps out of your skin.
• Laser skin resurfacing, using a laser to reduce the bumps.
• Photodynamic therapy, using a specialized medication and light to destroy the tissue.
• Shaving the bumps off of your skin.
• Scraping the bumps off of your skin (also called curettage).

Don’t try any of these medical procedures at home. Talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist about safe ways to treat sebaceous adenoma.

How can I prevent sebaceous hyperplasia?

You can’t prevent these bumps from forming, but certain skincare products may help reduce the chances of developing sebaceous hyperplasia:

• Niacinamide: This form of vitamin B3 may help control the production of sebum and repair your skin’s protective barrier. It usually comes in serums you rub onto your skin or tablets that you swallow.
• Retinol: This form of vitamin A is available by prescription and over the counter. It can help prevent clogging in your sebaceous glands. It’s usually in the form of a cream or serum that you put on your skin.
• Salicylic acid: This product helps get rid of dead cells from the top layer of your skin. It also reduces swelling and redness. Salicylic acid typically comes in a lotion that you put on your skin.

Can sebaceous hyperplasia come back after treatment?

A sebaceous adenoma may come back after you stop taking medication.

If you have a medical procedure, it may permanently remove the bump. But other adenomas may appear on different areas of your skin.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist if you have skin issues and any of the following symptoms. They may be a sign of a more serious problem:

• Achy joints.
• Bumps on your skin that continue growing larger.
• Difficulty swallowing.
• Fever.
• Muscle pain.
• Open wounds that won’t heal.
• Trouble sleeping.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

A sebaceous adenoma is a small bump on a gland in your skin. It’s a harmless, benign tumor in a hair follicle. These bumps don’t need to be treated. But if they bother you, talk to your primary care provider or dermatologist about your options.