Multiple eccrine hidrocystomas of the face

Abstract

Background: Multiple eccrine hidrocystomas of the face are a rare facial dermatosis for which no recent large series of cases has been reported.

Objective: To describe the clinicopathologic features of five cases of multiple eccrine hidrocystoma and to emphasize their similar characteristics.

Methods: The clinical and histologic features of five women with multiple eccrine hidrocystomas of the face are described.

Results: All cases were middle-aged women with numerous, asymptomatic, skin-colored to bluish, papulonodular skin lesions, ranging from 2 to 5 mm in diameter, and mainly centrifacial in distribution. Histopathologically, all cases showed unilocular cysts in the dermis lined by two layers of cuboidal cells. Staining for S-100 protein was negative in the cyst wall in all cases. One case was treated with topical 1% atropine for 3 weeks with no significant improvement. No systemic side-effects were observed during this treatment.

Conclusions: Multiple eccrine hidrocystomas are a rare condition which might be confused clinically and histopathologically with apocrine hidrocystomas. To date, no effective treatment has been reported.