What is a pyogenic granuloma?
A pyogenic granuloma is a lump composed of very fragile healing tissue known as ‘granulation tissue’. They tend to form at the site of an open cut or abrasion, and are thought to be associated with very low grade infection.
What symptoms do they give?
Pyogenic granulomas can be tender or painful but not always. They are unpleasant because they leak fluid and can bleed if they are knocked.
What is the natural history?
Some smaller lesions will resolve on their own without any treatment. When they get to the size seen in the picture above, then they really need to be surgically removed.
What does the operation involve?
When the lump is cut out, there is usually a defect or hole in the underlying skin, with the fat under the skin visible at the base. This defect has to heal in with scar tissue from the base up, and it can take some weeks for the wound to heal following surgical excision of the lump. Although they can recur, this is uncommon.
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