Would photodynamic light therapy help to treat my bumps and sebaceous hyperplasia? (Photo)

Question

Hi I’m a 34 year old female who has under the skin, skin colored bumps on both sides of my chin. I have done two courses of Accutane with the last course completed 3 years ago. I have had chemical peels, microneedling, facials, etc. The bumps are not that noticeable unless I am in direct sunlight. I have had a biopsy and was told it is “sebaceous hyperplasia.” An esthetician said it is scarring from old acne. Someone else said it looks like calcium deposits. It is not milia. What is it?

Nelson Lee Novick, MD · Answer

Without a biopsy, papular acne scars, milia, and sebaceous hyperplasia would have been in the list of possible diagnoses.  However, in this case I really am puzzled, since a biopsy was taken and proved to be sebaceous hyperplasia. If you are still in doubt, however, a second or even a third biopsy can be taken from disparate areas. And, should these again prove to be sebaceous hyperplasia, then treatment with light electrocautery to flatten the bumps so that each site is flush with the surrounding normal skin can be performed in a matter of minutes. One of my last patients before the New Years holiday weekend was a young man with multiple facial sebaceous hyperplasia who was treated in a matter of minutes with this technique. Hope this helps and Happy New Year.

Would photodynamic light therapy help to treat my bumps and sebaceous hyperplasia? (Photo)

Answers (1)