In our practice we encounter various benign skin formations. The most common benign skin tumors are:

-warts

-moluscum contagiosum

-seborrheic keratoses

-pigmentary nevi

Warts are benign skin formations caused by infection with certain subtypes of the human papilloma virus (HPV) and are commonly found in plants and palms but can also occur in other areas. They are transmitted through direct contact with people who are infected or we can contact the virus indirectly from swimming pools, public showers, swimming pools, locker rooms, hotels (people with low immunity, those with a history of warts or those with wounds, scratches or cracks at the level of the skin).

Clinically, several types of warts are described:

-plane warts appear on the face, hands or feet, have a smooth surface and a diameter of a few mm

- vulgar wart is one of the most common warts and occurs frequently on the hands, periungual or subungual and is presented as an elevated formation, with a rough, irregular surface

-plantar warts appear at the plantar level, especially on the pressure areas, are painful and develop deeper, being covered by a layer of callus

-anogenital warts or condylomata acuminata appear as white or pink growths, have a cauliflower appearance and are found in the genitals, around the anus, in the corner of the mouth or between digital spaces.

The treatment of warts includes:

-surgical excision of the wart- is performed under local anesthesia

-electrocautery

-cryotherapy

It is a condition caused by the POX virus and comes in the form of skin or pink lesions, with a diameter between 1 mm and about 1 cm. What is characteristic of these lesions is that at the central level the lesions show a depression, and their content is white, with a rough appearance.

The mode of transmission of this condition is through direct contact, contact with contaminated objects, and the manipulation of lesions can lead to the appearance of new ones.

Prevention is very important: strict hand hygiene, injuries must be covered with bandages or clothing, avoid touching the skin that has such injuries, do not use personal items (clothing, underwear, towels, etc.), do not use frequent swimming pools, saunas, swimming pools until the lesions have completely healed.

Dermatoscopic examination allows us to make a clear diagnosis.

The available treatment options are:

-curettage

-electrocautery

-local application of substances that produce a reaction similar to a burn

-cryotherapy

Seborrheic keratosis, also called seborrheic wart, is a benign tumor that can occur on the face or torso, especially in adults and the elderly.The lesions have various clinical aspects, they can be in the form of yellowish to dark brown plaques, with a smooth or rough surface, and the appearance can be flat or embossed, sometimes even cauliflower.

Their number can range from a lesion to several tens, even hundreds, and increase with age.

The diagnosis is based on the dermatoscopy performed by the dermatologist, and then the method of treatment is established:

-surgical excision

-cryotherapy

-curret

-electrocautery

-chemical peeling

Pigmented nevi or as we call them "moles" are skin formations that occur due to the accumulation of melanocytes in the skin. There are nephews that appear at birth called congenital nephews or nephews that we acquire throughout life. Factors that can cause nevi are: radiation exposure, certain skin phototypes, pregnancy, etc. Clinically it presents as lesions of brown to dark black color, well delimited, with variable dimensions and usually with planes, not relief.

From a histological point of view, the nevi can be:

-dermal nevi

-nevi compounds

-junctional nevi- nevic cells are located at the dermo-epidermal junction

There are also dysplastic nevi that present as lesions with irregular edges, dimensions larger than 6 mm, inhomogeneous coloration and which are the precursors of malignant melanoma.

The treatment for nevi is the surgical excision followed by sending the excised piece to the histopathological examination to have a definite diagnosis and is recommended in the following situations:

-nevi located at the level of the mucous membranes

-nevi located at the level of the nail

-giant congenital nevi

- repeatedly traumatized nevi

Nevi that can become malignant can be identified according to the ABCDE rule, namely:

-A (asymmetry)

-B (borders) - edges, in the case of nevi with malignant potential they are irregular

-C (color) - malignant nevi have an inhomogeneous color

-D (diameter) - larger than 6 mm

-E (evolution) - if the nevus causes pain, itching, inflammation, bleeding

If you are experiencing one or more nephews with the above characteristics we recommend a specialist consultation. The diagnosis of nevi is made by a simple dermatoscopic examination, which is a simple, non-invasive, painless procedure.

Keratoacanthoma is a benign tumor composed of keratin and squamous cells, and its etiology is not fully known but solar radiation is considered to be an important factor in causing this lesion.

The diagnosis is made after local and dermatoscopic examination. The treatment for keratoacanthoma consists of surgical excision and referral of the piece to the histopathological examination to obtain a definite diagnosis.

The patient should be informed that some long-term keratoacanthomas may turn malignant into squamous cell carcinoma, which is why early diagnosis and treatment are essential.

Other rarer benign tumors that we may encounter are:

-glomic tumor

-dermatofibroma

-syringoma- benign tumor of the sweat glands

-the name ecrin

-tricoepithelioma

-pilomatrixoma