Symptoms Of A Nevus Sebaceous

A nevus sebaceous is a rare birthmark that results in unusual growths on the scalp or face. It is technically a type of benign hair follicle tumor that is unlikely to cause any severe health problems. However, a nevus sebaceous can occasionally cause some complications, so it is helpful to know whether or not one is present. This type of birthmark may look fairly unobtrusive at first, so individuals often do not get diagnosed with them until they are teens or adults. There are a few things individuals should keep an eye out for if they think they might have a nevus sebaceous.

Hairless And Smooth Patch Of Yellow-Orange Skin

When children are first born, a nevus sebaceous may go unnoticed because it does not look very different from normal skin at first. The only sign of a nevus sebaceous in infants is typically a hairless and smooth patch of yellow-orange skin or brown skin, so at first, parents often think it is a bruise from the intensity of the birthing process. However, the area will not fade over time like other swelling or bruising. This patch of discolored skin will have very well-defined borders instead of fading gradually into the rest of the skin. Nevi sebaceous tend to be oval or linear, and the texture of this kind of birthmark is often described as velvety. As a baby begins to grow hair, the area with the nevus sebaceous will remain hairless. This tends to be particularly noticeable if the birthmark is on the scalp, but if it is on the face, forehead, or neck, the lack of hair may not be unusual enough for a parent to seek a diagnosis.

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Thickened And Bumpy Skin

As a child goes through puberty, hormonal changes will cause the nevus sebaceous to become more noticeable. The skin in the area with the birthmark will start to become thicker. Some individuals find the affected skin starts to develop small bumps or scales. The thickened and bumpy skin is often initially mistaken for a wart, but it will not respond to traditional treatments. It may also expand in size a little as the skin becomes more textured. Though the cosmetic alterations of a nevus sebaceous can be difficult for some individuals, the birthmark itself is not normally painful or uncomfortable. They will not itch or hurt like some other types of tumors. Normally, the nevus sebaceous does not change in size or shape much once an individual passes puberty. All of the bumpy areas are usually confined to one patch of skin, though in some cases, the patient may get one or more spot on their head.

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Hemimegalencephaly

The majority of individuals with nevi sebaceous do not suffer from any symptoms besides discolored, hairless, or textured skin. However, in rare cases, patients may deal with linear nevus sebaceous syndrome. This is a type of unusual genetic disorder that causes individuals to get a large nevus sebaceous along with other issues. One potential symptom of linear nevus sebaceous syndrome is hemimegalencephaly, which is a type of neurological issue where one part of the brain is far larger than the other side. The brain malformation may cause the head itself to be enlarged or asymmetrical. It can occasionally occur without any marked impairments, but some patients who have this condition have motor deficits or movement difficulties on the side of the body controlled by the affected half of the brain. This means an individual with an enlarged right half of the brain might struggle to move their left arm and leg.

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Seizures

Patients who have linear nevus sebaceous syndrome often experience seizures as another symptom. Most individuals with seizures also have hemimegalencephaly, and this brain malformation is partially responsible for the symptom. However, even those without an abnormally large brain hemisphere can have a seizure problem. A seizure occurs whenever there is an electrical disturbance in the brain, so symptoms vary. It can sometimes result in full body spasms, but in some cases, patients may just lose consciousness, blink rapidly, or freeze for a moment. Individuals with a nevus sebaceous can have more than one seizure type, so it is possible for some seizures to go unnoticed. A seizure can be very dangerous, so it is important for individuals to seek medical help if they have a nevus sebaceous and start to experience any kind of seizure.

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Locations Of Lesions

One of the ways a nevus sebaceous is identified is based on the location. Since it is a type of tumor of the hair follicle, it can only grow in places where someone has hair follicles and sebaceous glands. This means the nevus sebaceous can develop on almost any type of skin. The majority of nevus sebaceous patients have it somewhere on their head. The scalp, face, ears, and neck are all very common locations for nevus sebaceous lesions. However, individuals should keep in mind a lesion is not automatically ruled out as a nevus sebaceous just because it appears somewhere besides the head. In rare cases, nevi sebaceous can develop on the chest, shoulders, back, or limbs. It is also possible though extremely unusual for the locations of lesions to be on mucosae.