A pilar sheath acanthoma is a cutaneous condition most often found on the face, particularly above the upper lip in adults. Pilar sheath acanthoma is a skin-colored, 5-10 mm diameter papule or nodule with a keratin-filled pore in the center. Pilar sheath acanthoma diagnosis confirmed by shave or excisional biopsy. Successful treatment requires surgical excision.

Signs and symptoms

Pilar sheath acanthoma manifests as a single, skin-colored papule or nodule that is 5–10 mm in diameter and has a keratin-filled pore in the center. These lesions can occur anywhere on the head and neck, however they are typically nearly exclusively located on the upper lip.

Diagnosis

Confirmation of the diagnosis is aided by a shave or excisional biopsy of the lesion. It is possible to confuse pilar sheath acanthoma with large comedones, trichoepithelioma, solar comedones ( Favre-Racouchot syndrome), dilated pores (Winer), or scars. Histopathologically, pilar sheath acanthoma is characterized by a centrally located, cystically dilated follicle that opens to the surface and contains keratinous material. Squamous

epithelium Epithelium or epithelial tissue is one of the four basic types of animal tissue, along with connective tissue, muscle tissue and nervous tissue. It is a thin, continuous, protective layer of compactly packed cells with a little intercellul ...

buds extend outward from the central hole. The outer rooth sheath epithelium that makes up tumor lobules extends into the nearby

dermis The dermis or corium is a layer of skin between the epidermis (with which it makes up the cutis) and subcutaneous tissues, that primarily consists of dense irregular connective tissue and cushions the body from stress and strain. It is divided i ...

and may even reach the subcutis. Possible observations include infundibular keratinization of the epithelium and individual tumor cells with high

glycogen Glycogen is a multibranched polysaccharide of glucose that serves as a form of energy storage in animals, fungi, and bacteria. The polysaccharide structure represents the main storage form of glucose in the body. Glycogen functions as one o ...

content.

Treatment

The only successful treatment is surgical excision.

References

External links

DermNet

VisualDx
{{Skin tumors, epidermis Epidermal nevi, neoplasms, and cysts

Signs and symptoms

Diagnosis

Treatment

See also

References

Further reading

External links