Wen on the body of newborns: causes and treatment

Definition of the concept

Wen are benign lumps that arise from adipose tissue. They can be either acquired or congenital. They develop in the subcutaneous layer. If the child’s immune system is severely weakened, the wen can penetrate into the muscle area and affect the bones.

Wen on a child’s face can be of two types:

milia are small wen, which are often located on the nose and cheeks, in most cases they go away on their own without proper treatment;
large lipomas. These formations can be dangerous, especially if there is an inflammatory process. The threat may lie in the risk of squeezing blood vessels.

The location of lipomas can be: chest, face, area behind the ears, armpits, scalp, back, legs.

Wen can be located on different parts of the body, but in most cases the area of their localization is the head, and in infants - the face.

Small formations can go away on their own. As for the larger ones or those that continue to grow, they need to be removed.

Lump behind the ear of a baby

Sometimes bumps in infants may appear behind the ears. Usually parents are frightened by such formations, and they begin to try to get rid of it in various ways. Some heat the lump, others give the child antibiotics, and others apply various agents to the tumor. But such actions are, to say the least, meaningless, and can even harm the baby. The first step is to understand the causes of a bump in a baby.

Enlarged lymph nodes

One of the most common causes of a lump behind the ear in a baby is enlarged lymph nodes. This may be caused by an illness in the recent past. When you have a cold or runny nose, bumps most often appear on both sides. In this case, they do not require special treatment, since after some time the enlarged lymph nodes themselves will reduce their size to normal. Other causes of lymph node growth include infectious mononucleosis, tonsillitis, inflammation of the nasopharynx or adenoids, tuberculosis of the tonsils, tonsillitis and other diseases.

It is possible to determine that it was the enlarged lymph node that caused the appearance of a lump behind the ear of a baby by touch. The lymph node is practically immobile. And if the formation moves with the skin, then it is most likely a sebaceous cyst or fibroma.

An important factor is the location of the lump in the baby

The location of the lump in infants is also important. For example, a lump behind the ear located near the neck indicates damage to the sternocleidomastoid muscle located near the collarbone. A tumor directly behind the ear most likely means an enlargement or inflammation of the parotid gland.

In any case, you should not make a diagnosis yourself and determine the treatment method; for this it is better to consult a specialist. He will need all the possible information about the baby's lump, so he needs to keep an eye on it. The moment when the lump grows or shrinks is especially important.

Methods for diagnosing a lump in a baby

Lumps behind the ear of a baby should definitely be shown to a doctor. If a tumor forms in this area, a biopsy may be required. Of great importance for diagnosis is the appearance of the formation, its shape, density and time of occurrence. After making a diagnosis, the specialist will be able to determine the method of treatment required.

Possible reasons

The appearance of wen may be due to a violation of metabolic processes in the body.
Among the most common causes are:

hormonal imbalance in the mother’s body before the baby is born;
genetic predisposition in a child, that is, the formation of lipomas can be hereditary;
disruption of the functioning of the sebaceous glands (white wen appears precisely for this reason);
lack of personal hygiene rules;
problems with the liver, kidneys;
use of synthetic diapers and vests;
increased sensitivity of the skin;
sedentary lifestyle;
excess weight;
diseases of the genitourinary system;
pathologies of the endocrine system;
the presence of hypo- or vitamin deficiency;
lack of proper nutrition, consumption of low-quality products that contain preservatives and chemical additives.

Characteristic manifestations

Small formations may not cause any discomfort to the child; they can be identified completely by accident.
Lipomas often develop slowly and can maintain their size for many years.
The compaction increases in size in rare cases and then it is necessary to resort to radical measures.
You can make sure that you are faced with a wen by resorting to a visual inspection:

elastic, soft structure of formation;
mobile, no fusion with the skin;
no pain;
round or oval shape.

Wen located on the cheeks, lips, and in the eye area are usually a consequence of improper functioning of the sebaceous glands. They are visually similar to small white pimples and often disappear without specialized treatment.

Possible threat

Lipoma that appears in infants is considered a temporary phenomenon that does not pose a danger. However, if the formation is injured, its integrity is damaged, then in such a situation degeneration into a malignant tumor may occur. But this phenomenon can be observed in very rare cases and only in children with weakened immune systems.
The appearance of wen in the ears can lead to hearing impairment, and on the eyelids - to deterioration of vision.
It is important to know that lipomas can become inflamed from time to time and even fester, sometimes opening on their own. In such situations, they can become a source of sepsis in the body.

How to prevent the occurrence

It is almost impossible to prevent lipoma in children, as well as in adults. But you can try to reduce risk factors if the expectant mother follows a few simple rules:

eat healthy, low-fat foods;
include fruits and vegetables in the diet;
do not drink alcohol;
maintain hygiene;
protect yourself from viral diseases before and during pregnancy;
register with a gynecologist, follow his recommendations and conduct the necessary research;
notify your doctor about changes in your health.

Proper care and feeding of a newborn also plays an important role in the health and development of the baby.

Treatment

Large lipomas need to be removed.
It is important to know that getting rid of lipomas at home is unacceptable. Self-medication can lead to serious consequences.

If you are interested in the question of how to remove a wen, then in most cases we are talking about removal. In the presence of small formations, Ichthyol ointment or Vishnevsky ointment can be used, but only as prescribed by a doctor.

Indications for removal may be the presence of the following manifestations:

the location of the lipoma is the neck area (due to the threat of possible compression of blood vessels);
Wen negatively affects the functioning of internal organs;
the formation grows, increasing in size, causing pain to the child;
redness of the lipoma and a feeling of itching are noted.

There are several methods to help get rid of lipoma.

Endoscopy. Using a surgical instrument, a small incision is made, after which the specialist destroys the contents of the fat capsule, bringing it out. There is almost no trace left on the area of application of this method, but there is a possibility of recurrence of lipoma.
Cryodestruction. Liquid nitrogen is used, with which the wen is frozen. The formation is removed without a scar. However, this method is used only in the presence of small-sized wen. Sometimes one procedure is not enough.
Laser. The use of a laser beam allows you to destroy fatty tissue. The advantages of this method include the absence of possible complications and bleeding during the procedure. If a child has undergone laser removal, then for the first three days you should not be in direct sunlight.
Puncture method. The wen is pierced and its contents are pumped out.
Surgical method. The surgeon uses a scalpel to make an incision and remove the wen along with the capsule. This method is used when there is a large formation. After surgery, the sutures are removed after about a week. It is important to avoid rubbing clothing against the former location of the wen. The main disadvantage of this method is the appearance of a scar after the procedure.

Only a specialist can choose the appropriate removal method. In pediatrics, lipoma removal is performed using local anesthesia.

My son was diagnosed with wen twice. The first time it was a tiny white lesion on my cheek. It did not require surgery and went away on its own. The second time, three years later, a convex formation appeared in the collarbone area, which began to increase in size. The doctor suggested the only treatment option - surgical removal. The surgery left a large, raised scar, which became less noticeable over time.

What to do?

Before you begin self-treatment of wen in a newborn, you should definitely show the child to a specialist in order to accurately diagnose the neoplasm.

Except in special cases where the wen causes discomfort to the child or is located close to lymph nodes (neck) or sensory organs (ears or eyes), no treatment is required.

Over time, the nodules of adipose tissue will resolve without outside intervention.

However, parents should ensure that the baby does not scratch the bumps; to do this, it is enough to regularly trim his nails and put anti-scratch guards on his hands.

As the name itself suggests, the wen consists of fat, and cauterizing it with iodine, brilliant green, tincture of golden mustache, smearing it with beet juice and other attributes of traditional medicine is absolutely useless, and not necessary.

IMPORTANT! Under no circumstances should you try to squeeze out lipomas! This can lead to infection of the wound.

If removal of the wen is nevertheless necessary, then a series of preparatory tests are carried out. First of all, this is a biopsy of the lipoma, which is necessary in order to exclude the malignant nature of the neoplasm. If the tumor is large and it is necessary to determine the depth of its location in the tissues, ultrasound is prescribed. In addition, it is advisable to consult a geneticist. It can diagnose autosomal dominant systemic lipomatosis.