When is electrosurgery recommended for sebaceous hyperplasia?

Sebaceous hyperplasia consists of enlarged oil glands that appear as small, skin-coloured or yellowish bumps, often on the face. They are usually harmless, so treatment is commonly considered for repeated irritation, catching during grooming, or appearance rather than medical necessity. Electrosurgery applies controlled heat to a selected bump. The clinician first checks that the lesion has the expected appearance, because other facial bumps can look similar and may need a different approach. Treatment depth matters: too little treatment may leave the bump, while too much can increase the chance of a mark.

Book a skin assessment rather than treating a new or changing bump at home. Share your skincare products, previous procedures, history of dark marks or raised scars, and medicines that may affect bleeding or healing. Ask whether several bumps can be treated in one appointment and what temporary redness, crusting, or colour change may follow. Use only the cleansing and dressing routine supplied by the clinic after treatment. Do not squeeze, scrape, or apply household acids to the area, and protect healing facial skin from sunlight.

Have a clinician review any bump that grows quickly, changes colour or shape, bleeds without being rubbed, forms an ulcer, or becomes persistently painful. After electrosurgery, contact the clinic for increasing swelling, spreading redness, pus, fever, or bleeding that continues despite gentle pressure and the provided instructions. An unexpected change in a treated lesion should be assessed instead of being assumed to be normal healing.

Ask how the diagnosis was made, whether electrosurgery is appropriate for the size and location of each bump, what alternatives exist, and how your skin tone may affect temporary or lasting colour change. Ask about wound care, makeup or shaving during healing, and what to do if a bump comes back.