Skin & Complexion
Small, benign flesh-coloured or yellowish bumps caused by enlarged oil glands, most often on the face.
Physician-led assessment · individualized care · Vancouver clinic
Understanding Sebaceous Hyperplasia
Maybe you've spotted a few small, soft, yellowish bumps on your forehead or cheeks, some with a tiny dip in the middle, and wondered what they are. They're one of the most common bumps we see, and they're harmless.
Sebaceous hyperplasia is simply an oil gland that has grown a little larger than usual. It tends to show up with age, sun exposure and oilier skin, and a bit more often in people taking certain immune-suppressing medications. Because these bumps can look like a few other things, including a type of skin cancer called basal cell carcinoma, we always confirm what they are first. Once we know, treatment can flatten them so your skin looks smoother, and we can keep an eye out for new ones as they appear.
Causes and Contributing Factors
Sebaceous hyperplasia develops when sebaceous glands enlarge, most often as a result of aging and long-term sun exposure. Hormonal influences on the oil glands appear to play a part, and the condition is more common in people with oily skin. It can also occur more frequently in those taking certain immune-suppressing medications. It is not caused by an infection and is not contagious.
Signs and Symptoms
Sebaceous hyperplasia has a fairly characteristic look:
A central blood vessel or dimple can help distinguish them, but overlap with other lesions means appearance alone is not always definitive.
Assessment
At your consultation, our physicians look at each bump closely, usually with a dermatoscope, checking for the typical yellowish colour, central dimple and location. If anything looks unusual, is growing, bleeds or breaks down, we may suggest a small biopsy to be sure. Once the diagnosis is clear, we plan around how many bumps you'd like treated, your skin type, your timing and your budget.
Cosmetic consultations are complimentary.
Prevention and Ongoing Care
Daily broad-spectrum sun protection is the most useful habit for skin prone to sebaceous hyperplasia, since sun exposure plays a part in how these bumps form. A gentle, oil-balancing routine keeps the skin's surface clear and comfortable, and a retinoid, where it suits your skin, supports smoother texture between visits. Our team can recommend products from our online shop that suit your skin.
Treatment Options
These are some of the options connected to this concern. The appropriate plan depends on assessment, suitability, and your goals.
Treatment is entirely your choice once the diagnosis is confirmed, and plenty of people are happy just knowing the bumps are harmless. If you'd like them smoothed away, our physicians treat selected benign skin lesions in clinic through our minor skin-lesion treatment. Where it suits your skin, the focused CO₂ handpiece on the Secret PRO platform can flatten selected small bumps after assessment. New bumps can form over time, so some people come back for occasional touch-ups.
For the fuller picture, explore the treatment pages above or discuss the options during a consultation.
Medical Assessment
A bump should be medically assessed if it grows, bleeds, ulcerates, develops a pearly or crusted look, or changes in a way that differs from long-standing sebaceous hyperplasia, since these features can suggest skin cancer. New or uncertain facial spots, particularly if you've had a lot of sun or a history of skin cancer, also deserve a proper check.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sebaceous hyperplasia often has a yellowish colour and a central dimple, while basal cell carcinoma may look pearly, grow, bleed or ulcerate. Because the two can overlap in appearance, an examination by one of our physicians, and sometimes a biopsy, is the reliable way to tell them apart.
Sebaceous hyperplasia usually stays put without treatment. Treated bumps can sometimes return and new ones may develop, because the oil glands keep the same tendency, so some patients plan an occasional touch-up. We'll talk through what to expect for your skin at your consultation.
Treatment is done in the clinic once the diagnosis is confirmed. The method, any recovery time and the cost depend on how many bumps you'd like treated and your skin type. We go through all of it at your consultation, so you can decide with the full picture in front of you.
Physician Assessment
An assessment can help clarify what may be contributing, which options may be appropriate, and what a reasonable next step could look like for you.
Visit Our Clinic
Anti-Aging Medical & Laser Clinic combines medical assessment, individualized planning, physician oversight, and a broad range of treatment options in its Vancouver clinic.
Bring your questions, treatment history, and goals. Your provider can help you understand appropriate options, expected recovery, and realistic outcomes.
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