Sebaceous glands on the labia

Sebaceous glands are also located on the inner labium (labium minus). They open at the hair roots of the pubic hair and secrete a fat-rich secretion. A constipation leads to a nodular, movable thickening, which is white-yellowish in appearance.

According to the principle ubi pus ibi evacua (where there is pus, there empty it), in the first instance, one can try to express it. If this does not succeed, zinc ointment helps against the inflammation, and laser treatment can be used to gently remove the pimple. This is not a dangerous clinical picture in the medical sense, but many patients find it unpleasant and disturbing. A pustule is not necessarily a sign of poor hygiene, and can be associated with tampons that are inserted during menstruation and exert pressure on the sebaceous gland. This may prevent it from being emptied, resulting in congestion.

Sebaceous glands on the chest

There may also be enlarged sebaceous glands around the nipple. These glands, known as Glandulae areolares or Montgomery glands, are arranged in a circle around the nipple and are particularly visible when the nipple is erect. Their main purpose is to protect the skin of the nursing woman and secrete a scent that brings the baby to the nipple.

Sebaceous glands on the glans or foreskin

Free sebaceous glands, i.e. sebaceous glands that are not associated with hair follicles, can also appear on the glans of the penis and on the foreskin. Here they are called Tyson glands and, in addition to the foreskin, they occur particularly frequently at a depression on the penis, which is located behind the glans, the so-called sulcus coronarius. Here they are called Papillae coronae glandis or Hirsuties papillares coronae glandis.

The sebaceous glands that appear here are also a normal variant that affects about 20% of men. Removal is not necessary, the sebaceous glands are neither painful nor itchy or even contagious. In the case of a pronounced finding that cosmetically disturbs the patient, removal can be performed with the CO2 laser.

These harmless sebaceous glands should not be confused with so-called genital warts, which are caused by the HPV virus. However, these are irregularly positioned, larger and grow cauliflower-like. Treatment should be given here, as the viruses can cause cervical cancer in women and are considered a sexually transmitted disease.