Anatomy-Lexicon

The sebum glands on the testicle

introduction

Sebum glands on the testicles show up as small, whitish spots in the entire area of the scrotum and can also appear on the penis if necessary. They occur in the area of the testicles - but can also be found in all other parts of the body where there is hair growth.

In a few cases these glands harden and enlarge, which is often perceived as unaesthetic. In general, however, it can be said that normal and enlarged sebum glands in the area of the testicle are not associated with any pathological events.

The anatomy

The sebum glands are glands that can be found all over the body and are mostly attached to hair. They are located in the dermis (corium) and open into the hair follicle, whereby their fatty secretion is released to the surface of the skin.

In addition to the scalp, nose and ears, the genital area is also one of the most common occurrences of sebum glands. As a rule, the sebum glands are also attached to hair in the testicle area. There they permanently give off a slightly greasy secretion, which is deposited on the skin as a protective layer and prevents the skin from drying out. The sebum glands are regularly spaced from one another - on average, about 40 sebum glands can be found on one square centimeter of skin.

Find out all about the topic here: The sebum gland.

The function

The main function of sebum glands is to prevent the skin from drying out. The majority of the sebum glands are bound to hair, but there are also free sebum glands that are not bound to hair.

The sebum glands produce a fatty secretion called sebum. The sebum consists of various fats such as triglycerides, fatty acids, waxes, cholesterol and also proteins. The regular repulsion of the sebum on the surface of the skin protects it from drying out as well as from external influences such as pathogens.

The production of sebum depends on various factors, in particular age, gender, hormones and diet. Male sex hormones, such as testosterone, promote sebum production, while female sex hormones, such as estrogens, tend to inhibit sebum production. It can also be said that sebum production generally decreases with increasing age. This is one of the reasons why older people's skin is drier and usually more prone to injury and pathogens.

Also read the article: The overactive sebum - symptoms and treatment.

The blocked sebum on the testicle

The appearance of sebum glands on the testicles is completely natural. If the sebum glands become clogged by detached skin cells or dried sebum, the sebum glands can become slightly or severely enlarged. These are expressed by light knots and can often be felt a bit harder. However, this expression, which is often perceived as unaesthetic, is not a cause for concern.

Especially during puberty, the sebum glands can appear enlarged and slightly hardened. A large number of those affected also complain of a collection of pus in the form of small pimples in the area of the testicle. This expression is also not a cause for concern.

When should it be removed?

It is important that a clogged sebum should not be treated on your own. The lumps and possibly also pimples represent an unpleasant occurrence, but have no disease value. However, if there are independent interventions in the form of piercing or squeezing such a sebum gland, this can have significant consequences. Severe inflammation can develop, which can have a negative effect on the whole body.

As a rule, a clogged sebum gland should never be removed, as these are completely harmless and only cause aesthetic complaints. If a blocked sebum should be removed, this must be done by a specialist.

The clogged sebum - what to do? Find out more about this here.

The knot

When a sebum gland becomes blocked, a small to medium-sized lump may appear on the surface of the testicle. Detached cells or the sebum itself can clog the sebum outlet. However, the sebum within the gland continues to be produced and builds up - the skin bulges.

Another term for a lump in the testicle that is caused by obstruction of the sebum outlet is atheroma. This can be one to several centimeters in size and is filled with a fatty substance. Usually, an atheroma is the same color as the surrounding skin and is primarily noticeable only by its bulging. Unless the atheroma becomes inflamed, it is painless and usually does not cause any discomfort.

If a larger lump appears in the area of the testicle, however, a doctor should be consulted if pain or other complaints occur.

Inflammation of a sebum gland on the testicle

Sebaceous glands rarely become inflamed without external influences. Therefore, an inflamed sebum gland or lump in the area of the testicle should not be removed independently, but a doctor should always be consulted. By manipulating with fingers or needles, bacteria can be brought into the skin, which can cause a serious infection.

Inflammation of the sebum is manifested by swelling, reddening, warming and pain in the area of the inflammation. If you see these signs, your doctor should be consulted.

Read more on this topic at: The sebum inflammation.

The abscess on the testicle

Abscesses on the testicles are usually the result of inflamed sebum glands. In this case, the inflamed sebum glands have no way of releasing the sebum produced to the surface of the skin, as a result of which it increasingly accumulates inside the sebum gland. As a result of the inflammation of the sebum gland, bacteria have usually also entered the sebum gland, which leads to increased pus production and thus to an abscess.

If an abscess is present, a family doctor should be consulted under all circumstances. This can initiate specific treatment, usually in the form of antibiotics.

The abscess on the testicle - what are the risks? Find out more about this.

How can you remove the sebum glands on the testicle yourself?

In principle, you should not remove or treat blocked or inflamed sebum glands yourself. In many cases, the blockage of the sebaceous gland resolves itself again, without external influences. However, an inflamed sebum is characterized by a relatively large amount of pus. The rule here is that you should not try to remove the sebum glands by squeezing them out with your fingers or a needle - you should rather consult a family doctor.

However, if there is no other choice but to treat the sebum glands yourself, hygiene should always be considered. It is important that the fingers or the needles should be cleaned thoroughly with the help of disinfectant. It is absolutely essential to avoid pathogens from getting inside the sebum gland.

Which ointment can help?

In the case of blocked or inflamed sebum glands in the scrotum area, a pull ointment or pull ointment can be used. The ointments are considered a tried and tested home remedy and can be obtained over the counter.The use of the ointments is harmless. However, it is not always sufficient as a sole therapy.

The ointments consist largely of oil shale. The principle of action is that the ingredients accelerate the maturation of the pus abscess and thus draw the infections from deep within the skin to its surface. The pus capsule is easier to open and the risk of bacteria reaching deeper areas of the skin is relatively low. Another effect of the ointment is that it has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. This further reduces inflammation.