Fibroma

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A fibroma is a benign growth in the connective tissue. These growths are very common and can appear as soft fibroma, hard fibroma, and many different sub-forms. Most fibroids are found on the skin, but the mucous membranes can also be affected (e.g. irritable fibroids on the oral mucosa). Read more about causes and therapies for fibroids.

ICD codes for this disease: ICD codes are internationally recognized codes for medical diagnoses. They can be found, for example, in doctor's letters or on certificates of incapacity for work. M72D21

Fibroma: description

Doctors refer to a new formation of connective tissue as a fibroid. This is a whole group of different growths in which certain connective tissue cells are involved, the so-called fibrocytes. Fibromas are small tumors - but what they all have in common is that they are benign. Malignant tumors of the connective tissue are called fibrosarcomas.

A distinction is made between different manifestations of fibroids:

Soft fibroma

The soft fibroma is also known as Fibroma molle or Fibroma pendulans. These skin-colored, small lumps are common. They are equally common in men and women. They are particularly common in overweight people. Soft fibromas often form for the first time during puberty. It is usually a few millimeters of skin protuberance. Sometimes they have a broad base on the skin, but they are often stalked - so they hang like a sack on a narrow base. Colloquially, soft fibromas are therefore also called pedunculate warts. They often appear on the neck, armpits, and groin area. A single soft fibroma is just as possible as multiple fibromas in one part of the body; these then form a skin tumor that can grow to a few centimeters.

Hard fibroma

Most adults have at least one hard fibroid somewhere on their body. Doctors also speak of histiocytoma or dermatofibroma. They are particularly common on the legs, but also on the arms and torso. Hard fibroids are firm nodules that are usually a few millimeters in size, and more rarely one centimeter or larger. They sit as slightly darker, often light brown spots on the skin. It is particularly common in young women that they develop on the legs.

Irritable fibroma

A fibroma of the oral mucosa is referred to as a fibroma or irritation fibroma. These small nodules are smooth and limited. They arise when certain parts of the mouth are repeatedly irritated.

Other fibroids

There are also some rare tumors that develop from connective tissue cells, especially around the bones. They include:

• Ossifying fibroma: a rare, benign tumor that occurs on the face of the skull, usually in the lower jaw bone.
• Non-ossifying fibroma: a pathological, connective tissue change in the bone (cortical defect) that is sometimes seen in children.
• Chondromyxoid fibroma: a tumor that usually occurs in long tubular bones and primarily affects adolescents.
• Desmoplastic fibroma: an aggressively growing bone tumor that occurs mostly in young people.
• Angiofibroma: a tumor of the nasopharynx that is pervaded by many vessels and occurs almost exclusively in male adolescents.

The following sections deal primarily with fibroids, which affect the skin.

Fibroma: symptoms

A fibroma in the area of ​​the skin is visible from the outside. Soft fibromas are particularly common on the neck, armpit, groin and, in women, below the breasts. Often they are stalked, and with slightly larger growths you can see small wrinkles on the surface. Most soft fibroids are skin-colored, but if you twist them, they may turn red or black from damage to the blood vessels.

In contrast, a hard fibroma is usually a little darker, often gray-brownish. They can be slightly raised or sunken in relation to the surface of the skin. The so-called Fitzpatrick sign is characteristic: if you press the area around a hard fibroma with your thumb and forefinger, it sinks into the skin. This is how it can be distinguished from a melanocytic nevus ("mole").

The irritable fibroid sits on the lining of the mouth, either in the area of ​​the cheeks, on the side of the tongue or on the gums. It is a small, limited, smooth "bump". Its color corresponds to the surrounding tissue or is a little lighter.

Unless injured, fibroids are not painful.

Fibroma: causes and risk factors

In most cases, the causes of a fibroma are not exactly known. The soft fibroma belongs to the hamartomas; these are tumors that originate from a defect in the embryonic germ tissue. This is a preliminary tissue stage that can later develop (differentiate) into various tissue forms. If an error occurs in the differentiation at individual points, one speaks of a hamartia. This can lead to excess tissue - in this case connective tissue - being formed. In contrast to other tumors, however, hamartomas do not always grow on their own. Soft fibroma is a common form of hamartoma.

There are individual diseases in which those affected tend to develop hamartomas. These include, for example, Cowden's syndrome and neurofibromatosis type 1 (Recklinghausen's disease). In this case, hereditary factors play a role in the development of the fibroma. People with systemic lupus erythematosus, AIDS or a drug-suppressed immune system (e.g. after transplants) often develop dermatofibromas (hard fibromas).

In the case of hard fibroids, experts suspect that it arises from a small inflammation of the connective tissue. It can have several reasons:

• Insect bites
• Thorns of plants that penetrate the skin.
• Inflammation of the follicle of the hair (folliculitis)
• other minor injuries

A hard fibroma is a small scar under the top layers of the skin. Often times, the trigger goes undetected.

Irritable fibroma develops in places in the mouth that are often irritated, for example from dentures or a sharp tooth edge.

Fibroma: examinations and diagnosis

The dermatologist is the specialist in diagnosing a fibroid. First, he asks when the affected area first noticed the changed area of ​​skin, whether it has changed or was injured. In the case of a typical fibroma, an expert can usually tell at first glance what it is. With a special magnifying instrument (dermatoscope), the doctor can examine the fibroma more closely. He pays attention to the size, shape, color, structure and edges of the skin change.

If there is a suspicion that it is a malignant growth - for example a malignant melanoma - the doctor takes a tissue sample (biopsy). A small fibroma is usually completely removed immediately (excision). The sample taken can be examined histologically using special methods. In this way you can determine how the cells contained are made up and arranged.

In rare cases, so many fibroids or other skin changes can be found that another underlying disease is suspected. Then further investigations will follow.

Fibroma: treatment

From a medical point of view, a fibroma does not require therapy. Both soft and hard fibroids are harmless. There is no increased risk of them degenerating and developing into a form of skin cancer. Usually they stop growing above a certain size and then stay that way.

Remove fibroids

Having a fibroma removed is usually straightforward. The dermatologist does this in a small operation, depending on the size of the fibroma with a local anesthetic. It depends on the size and shape of the growth whether the area needs to be sutured after the fibroid excision.

Warning: You should never remove a fibroma yourself, otherwise you risk an infection. If you have fibroids that bother you, you should definitely use it to go to your family doctor!

Fibroma: disease course and prognosis

Fibromas are primarily an aesthetic problem. From a medical point of view, the connective tissue growths are completely harmless and therefore do not necessarily require treatment. Fibromas, however, are often found to be visually annoying, especially those on the face, neck or in the genital area. Clothing and jewelry (e.g. chains) can also get caught on larger fibroids. With a small surgical intervention, however, a fibroma can usually be removed quickly and easily.

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