Ask Dr. Schultz
What treatment is there for sebaceous hyperplasia?
Thanks for your question. Sebaceous Hyperplasia is a medical term for giant oil gland. They look like pimples or white heads, but they are not. Acne medications won’t work. If you have a few, I recommend to my patients that they are most easily treated by a doctor with an acid called bichloroacetic acid. The doctor would touch the acid to the oil gland, and immediately it will turn white, then becomes crusty in a day or two. After about 10 days, the crust will go away and the oil gland will be gone. However, if you have more than a few, it’s better to speak to your dermatologist about lasers, or photodynamic therapy, which is the process of using laser light to activate a chemical painted on the oil glands. There’s no visual downtime and it takes about 2-3 treatments. I suggest discussing your options with your dermatologist.