Benign Skin Tumors: Precise Ultrasound Diagnosis and Clean Plastic-Surgical Excision

Benign Skin Tumors: Ultrasound Diagnosis and

Clean Plastic-Surgical Excision

Hello.

I am Jun-ho Choi, Director of Mutoel Plastic Surgery.

At Mutoel Plastic Surgery in Yongsan, we provide care that considers both our patients’ health and beauty through close collaboration among three specialists in dermatology, plastic surgery, and pathology.

Many more people than expected visit a clinic because of small lumps or bumps beneath the skin that began to feel soft or firm several months earlier.

These lumps, which can occur in various areas of the body—including the face, neck, arms and legs, torso, and scalp—are often mistaken for ordinary acne or simple skin troubles. As a result, people may repeatedly press them with their hands or try to squeeze them out.

However, forcefully attempting extraction with one’s hands or unsterilized instruments can cause the internal sac to rupture, allowing inflammation to spread into the surrounding tissue.

This can lead to secondary bacterial infection and severe inflammatory reactions, causing the skin to become red and swollen and potentially resulting in extreme pain and other side effects.

Most of these lesions formed beneath the skin are benign skin tumors located in the dermal or subcutaneous fat layers.

Therefore, it is especially important not to stimulate them arbitrarily, but to first identify their exact cause and location before proceeding with systematic treatment.

Today, I will explain in detail the precise ultrasound diagnosis and plastic-surgical excision used to safely and cleanly address “lumps under the skin.”

Representative Types and Characteristics of Benign Skin Tumors

Although benign tumors that occur on the skin may look similar on the surface, a detailed examination of their interiors reveals considerable differences in their causes, internal structures, and contents.

The most representative condition is an epidermoid cyst, also known as a sebaceous cyst. It forms when the opening of a sebaceous gland becomes blocked, causing keratinous waste and sebum to accumulate inside a cystic sac.

An epidermoid cyst may show a small central pore or opening. If forcibly squeezed, it may release a foul-smelling keratinous discharge or rupture internally, developing into severe inflammation.

In particular, an inflamed epidermoid cyst may become strongly adhered to the surrounding tissue, making treatment very difficult with simple excision alone.

If secondary cellulitis or a large abscess develops, it may leave a complicated scar after surgery.

Another representative condition is a lipoma, a lump formed by excessive proliferation of mature fat cells. It feels soft beneath the skin and tends to gradually increase in size over time.

Other types of benign skin tumors may also occur, including fibromas, which result from the proliferation of fibrous cells in the dermis, and pilomatrixomas, which are observed as hard, calcified lesions, particularly in children and younger people.

Although these benign lesions are not malignant tumors or cancer, they do not disappear on their own. If left untreated, they may continue to grow and compress nearby nerves or blood vessels.

They may also become visibly raised and cause cosmetic concerns. For this reason, it is advisable to receive an accurate diagnosis early and plan appropriate surgical treatment.

High-Resolution Preliminary Analysis Through Precise Ultrasound Diagnosis

The essential first step required for successful plastic-surgical excision is a precise preliminary evaluation using high-resolution ultrasound.

Visual observation and palpation alone have limitations when it comes to clearly determining the exact three-dimensional size, depth, and boundaries of a lump located deep beneath the skin in relation to the surrounding tissue.

With the appropriate use of ultrasound, it is possible to accurately check whether the lesion extends beyond the subcutaneous fat layer into the fascia or muscle layer. This serves as an important guide for carefully determining the extent of dissection during surgery.

This detailed preliminary examination clearly establishes the boundaries of the benign skin tumor and plays a critical role in minimizing the extent of the skin incision required during surgery.

Real-time ultrasound also makes it possible to check in advance whether the lesion is in contact with small nearby blood vessels or major nerves. This helps substantially reduce the risk of bleeding or nerve damage during surgery while preserving normal tissue.

Sophisticated ultrasound diagnosis not only maximizes surgical safety but also provides the essential foundation for minimizing postoperative scarring.

Plastic-Surgical Excision and Techniques for Minimizing Scars

To fundamentally treat a benign skin tumor and prevent recurrence, it is essential to completely remove the entire sac surrounding the tumor, rather than simply draining or squeezing out its contents.

If even a small amount of the cyst wall remains inside the skin, sebum may accumulate again in the same area over time, and the tumor may recur with a high likelihood.

After the tumor has been completely removed, a fine multilayer closure technique is used, suturing the subcutaneous tissue, dermis, and epidermis in separate layers.

Through this delicate plastic-surgical closure process, we minimize the skin depressions and raised scars that may be a concern after removal of a benign skin tumor, helping create a smooth skin surface.

Collaborative Care by Specialists in Dermatology, Plastic Surgery, and Pathology

One of the most distinctive features of Mutoel Plastic Surgery Clinic is its one-stop medical system, in which three specialists in dermatology, plastic surgery, and pathology work closely together in one location.

All tissue safely removed through plastic-surgical excision immediately undergoes a detailed histopathological examination by an in-house pathology specialist.

This allows us to definitively confirm whether the excised tumor is benign and thoroughly assess the possibility of any malignant transformation, helping relieve our patients’ concerns.

During follow-up as the surgical wound heals, a dermatologist provides systematic, customized aftercare to actively prevent and manage surgical marks, pigmentation, and discoloration.

Depending on the postoperative stage, scar-reducing laser or vascular laser treatments may be performed as needed to quickly reduce redness and help the skin recover to a natural tone.

The precise excision and closure skills of a plastic surgeon, the accurate diagnosis of a pathology specialist, and the attentive regenerative care of a dermatologist come together in harmony to provide the best possible results for patients suffering from benign skin tumors.

If you would like a more detailed consultation about the surgery, please feel free to contact us at any time.

We will always do our best for the health and balanced beauty of each and every patient.

This was Jun-ho Choi, Director of Mutoel Plastic Surgery.

Thank you.