How Long Do Fordyce Spots Last | The Best How to Secrets
Did you know that the average adult has almost 10 pounds of skin?
And another thing:
A good portion of the dust in the world is just dead skin.
Cells, nerves, receptors, tissue - skin doesn’t just protect our delicate insides. It plays the biggest role in how we appear, and how we feel about our appearance.
The skin can even tell us when something is wrong with our insides.
So what does it mean when our skin is bumpy, almost like chicken skin?
Is it a breakout, ?
Today, we’re talking about Fordyce spots.
Namely, what are they, and how long do Fordyce spots last?
Will they harm us, and are there any natural treatments for them?
Take a good look in the mirror, and get ready to find out.
What Is a Fordyce Spot?
Usually, Fordyce spots are found on the lips and genitalia. They vary in color. They can be white, pink, red, yellowish, or the exact same color of your skin. Measuring just one or two millimeters in diameter, they’re extremely small.
On the face, you may notice them approximately where your cupid’s bow is located on the upper lip. There are often lots of them spreading further out to the vermilion border.
Some people can feel them inside of their mouths, too.
In men, Fordyce spots are frequently present on the scrotum and lower shaft of the penis. Meanwhile, woman may notice them on the vulva, the external portion of the vagina.
At first glance, a Fordyce spot resembles any other papule. If you read my blog article on breakouts, you’ll remember papules. If you squeeze them, there’s nothing inside.
They’re just little bumps that have the potential to become pustules, a type of pimple. Typically, they only become inflamed when we pick at them, so that’s my first piece of advice:
Do not pick at or squeeze Fordyce spots.
It won’t do any good, especially if you want them gone!
One reason papules become pustules is oil. That’s because most papules are sebaceous glands. We have thousands of them per square inch of skin! These glands produce the oil, or sebum, that keeps our skin healthy.
When we produce too much, it can lead to breakouts. But having a papule, or visible oil gland, doesn’t necessarily mean you produce too much sebum.
With Fordyce spots, there is no hair follicle attached to the gland.
In a nutshell, Fordyce spots are just little bumps. They’re simply tiny sebaceous glands you can see on the surface of your skin.
What Causes Fordyce Spots?
Why do you have Fordyce spots?
Like a lot of skin conditions, these are not your fault. We’re born with them, and they pop out most often during puberty. As we get older, they may not be as visible.
All told, you only have Fordyce spots because you have sebaceous glands. Your sebaceous glands are essential to healthy skin. They are naturally moisturizing, improving elasticity, texture, and softness.
By and large, Fordyce spots are present from birth and just sort of come and go throughout your life. Still, stress can cause an outbreak of spots. That’s true of many skin and health conditions.
Hormonal imbalances may play a role, too. As stated, Fordyce spots can become more prominent during puberty, when your body is undergoing a major hormonal change.
Exposure to bacteria (such as from picking) can exacerbate Fordyce spots as well.
Fordyce Spot Myths
Having bumps on your skin that aren’t exactly pimples can be worrisome. It’s important not to get carried away with some myths and mistruths about Fordyce spots.
Fordyce spots are NOT:
- Sexually transmitted diseases. Because they occur on the genitals, people assume they’re linked to sexual activity and STDs. This is absolutely untrue.
- Contagious. You don’t get them from sharing a drinking glass with someone, either. You are born with them, and they are never “caught” from others.
- Dangerous. Fordyce spots are harmless. They are not a sign of illness, and if you keep your hands off of them, they won’t hurt. It’s a purely aesthetic condition.
All of that said, you should be certain that what you’re experiencing is really Fordyce spots. There are a few other skin conditions, like milia and sebaceous hyperplasia, that strongly resemble Fordyce spots.
Among these, there are different causes and treatments. Therefore, a simple diagnosis from your doctor may be necessary.
How Long Do Fordyce Spots Last?
If you have them, the million-dollar question is, how long do Fordyce spots last?
Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer to this.
People who experience them on their lips might see them disappear in as little as a week. For others, it can take months. Some people, particularly men, have them for their entire lives.
A lot of people let them go because they’re not in a visible area, and are completely painless and harmless. But if your Fordyce spots bother you, you can try some remedies to shorten the amount of time they hang around.
Dermatologist Treatments for Fordyce Spots
Much of the time, Fordyce spots go away without any help. However, your dermatologist has a few tricks up their sleeve for getting rid of them faster.
1. Micro-punch
A micro-punch procedure uses a tool that punches a tiny hole in the skin. It removes a nearly imperceptibly small portion, instantly prompting the healing process to mend over the area.
This treatment is also used to reduce the appearance of scars. It’s highly effective in treating Fordyce spots, which don’t typically recur in that area following a punch session.
2. Creams
Wondering how to get rid of Fordyce spots on the lips?
A dermatologist might first prescribe you a Clindamycin cream. Aside from that, many recommend cell-sloughing products that are also good for acne-prone skin.
Increasing cell turnover can shrink sebaceous glands. Retinoids and BHA liquids that chemically exfoliate can accomplish this. Of course, your dermatologist might prescribe something stronger, like tretinoin.
3. Lasers
Your derm may also wish to resort to a CO2 laser treatment. This usually takes about a half an hour. However, it isn’t a solution for spots on the face, as it can leave scarring.
Other laser treatments, like pulsed dye, may work better for facial Fordyce.
Six Natural Remedies for Fordyce Spots
It’s hard to love a Fordyce spot. But most people still aren’t bothered by them enough to see a dermatologist for treatment. After all, treatment tends to be too invasive and expensive for what they are.
To reduce their current lifespan, there are a number of things you can try at home.
1. Jojoba Oil
My favorite thing about jojoba oil is that it isn’t really an oil at all - it’s an ester wax. In this way, it’s a lot like our natural sebum. When we mimic our natural sebum, we produce less of it. This is how jojoba can work for enlarged glands.
Jojoba oil - click for price is also safe and well-tolerated by most people. Simply take a few drops and rub it between clean hands. This is important to warm up and break down the esters. From there, massage onto skin.
Even if you don’t have bumps, it’s one of the best moisturizers there is.
2. A Cleaner Diet
Honestly, there are few things a better diet can’t remedy. When you eat well, some of the most convincing evidence appears in the form of better skin.
Now, some will advise you to actually blend vegetables into a paste and apply it to your Fordyce spots. This isn’t nearly as effective as treating your entire body with a great diet.
In particular, cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower are very healing. Their antioxidants content is effective for internal and external cell repair, and they’re excellent sources of fiber.
A fiber rich diet that helps clear waste from the intestines can lead to clearer skin on every level.
3. Tea Tree Oil
Fordyce spots that appear thanks to bacteria could disappear with a great natural astringent like tea tree oil.
A lot of plant oils are antibacterial and antiseptic, but tea tree oil is the quite potent. Indeed, it’s the one we most often resort to for wound healing. In fact, it’s so strong that you’ll need to blend it with a carrier oil to avoid irritation.
Twice a day, mix two drops of tea tree oil - click for price with two drops of jojoba oil. Apply a thin coating to your spots, and let it sit for at least a half an hour. It should tingle, but if it really stings, make it three drops of jojoba for every two of tea tree.
4. Oatmeal Baths
If you get spots in or around the genitals, your clothing can rub up against them and make them inflamed. Prevent infection and soothe the skin with twice-weekly oatmeal baths.
In a coffee grinder - click for price or food processor - click for price, finely grind one cup of oats. Your bath shouldn’t look like it has chunks of oatmeal in it. Instead, it should look milky. Stir it into a warm bath and soak for 20 minutes.
Oats can reduce redness and irritation, and help you retain more moisture. It also contains saponins that can clean away bacteria without drying the skin.
5. Garlic
Garlic is already part of a healthy diet. But no matter what you eat, increasing this one food can be highly effective in reducing skin conditions.
Garlic is widely known as “nature’s antibiotic” and it’s a good internal complement to topicals like tea tree oil. If you can’t eat a few cloves a day, a supplement - click for price will work.
Allicin is the active ingredient that seems to yield success through garlic. Therefore, make sure any supplement states how much allicin it offers.
6. ACV
There are those among us who will try apple cider vinegar as a remedy for anything. Apparently, it might help rid us of Fordyce spots as well.
Like garlic and tea tree oil, ACV has some antimicrobial action to offer. It won’t hurt to try it; just dilute a spoon of ACV in water, and dab it on. It might also be helpful to drink your ACV.
The Best Tips for Healthier Skin
Fordyce spots are just one of many skin conditions that can ruin our confidence. Do you also deal with breakouts, redness, dryness, large pores, or fine lines? In these cases, Fordyce spots can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
Here are a few tips to help your skin heal.
1. Avoid hot water
If you produce a lot of oil, warmer water might be necessary to break down some of the excess. However, no one needs to expose their skin to water that is downright hot. Hot water makes skin feel tight, dry, and itchy.
This makes it harder for the skin to fight off bacteria.
2. Work on your circulation
Any kind of massage or dry brushing can help oxygenate and stimulate blood flow, which encourages faster healing.
The exception would be cases of rosacea. Extra blood flow can just make skin look worse.
You can buy a rolling tool for facial massage or get a foam roller for myofascial release. Also, practice more inverted yoga postures.
3. Hydrate
You don’t need to be told to drink more water. But despite the fact that your oil glands are looming large, you still need to hydrate your skin. If heavy creams won’t do, mix up some aloe vera gel and distilled water, and mist your skin regularly.
4. SPF always
Any type of stress or trauma to the skin can trigger a breakout, and maybe even Fordyce spots. Just like hot water, the sun is drying and damaging.
Apply SPF 35 two or three times per day.
5. Eat more fat
Plant-based sources of fat are notorious for their fatty acids and vitamin E. Both of these go a long way in maintaining smooth, supple skin.
Some minerals found in nuts, like selenium, might help stop the clock and give you brighter skin.
That’s about all the time I have for...
How Long Do Fordyce Spots Last
Bumps on your upper lip?
Rough patches on your bikini line?
These might be Fordyce spots, a skin condition that simply makes your sebaceous glands more obvious.
They can easily be mistaken for other conditions, but Fordyce spots:
- Are not contagious
- Are not harmful
- Occur in most people at some point
- Are usually with us from birth
- Can be influenced by hormones and stress
Some people have so much trouble with theirs that they seek treatment from a dermatologist. But for most of us, this isn’t necessary. A little patience and perhaps a home remedy are good enough.
Do you know how to get rid of Fordyce spots?
Have you noticed a pattern when they appear, or have you always had some obvious ones?
Be sure to share in the comments, and I’ll be back shortly.
