cutaneous

The “Band-Aid Treatment Plan” Strikes Again

| Bloomin' Uterus
Bandaids crossing into an X

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you may have already seen the entry about c-section scars developing lumps of Endometriosis. If you haven’t already read it, you can follow the link or just know there are a lot of women that develop a painful mass in or around their c-section scar that turns out to be Endometriosis. It’s not just limited to c-section scars, but those are mostly the reported instances of scar Endo. Most of the time, that lump is removed and the symptoms fade; recurrence seems rare.

An article hit my inbox this week that had me breathing heavy. I had to take a few days to calm down before I wrote today’s entry.

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Another case of skin Endometriosis – In her cleavage!

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A close-up of cleavage beneath a tank top
“Cleavage” by Earls37a

Wait? What?!

You read that right. Another instance of cutaneous Endometriosis: this time between a woman’s breasts! Yeah yeah, I know cutaneous Endo is SUPER DUPER rare…but it does happen…

On December 17, 2019, the Journal of Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Disorders published an abstract online. The physicians, surgery center, and laboratory are all located in Iran, so I’m assuming the patient is also located in Iran. I don’t have access to the full literature, but the here’s my brief synopsis on the abstract.

A 24-year-old woman complained of a lesion between her breasts that would occasionally discharge fluid. She underwent various diagnostic tests and eventually the lesion was excised and biopsied. The abstract leads one to believe it was diagnosed as Endometriosis.

Again, I cannot stress enough: if you have a weird lump, bump, mass, or lesion where it shouldn’t be: go to your doc and get it checked out. If you haven’t already read my blog on Endometriosis and the skin, please go give it a read for several other examples. Thanks and have a great day!

Resources:

Journal of Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Disorders (Dec. 2019, Abstract) – Skin Endometriosis Between the Breasts of a Young Girl: A Case Study and Literature Review

~ Again, I am a layman. I do not hold any college degrees, nor mastery of knowledge. Please take what I say with a grain of salt. If curious, do your own research. Validate my writings. Or challenge them. And ALWAYS feel free to consult with your physician. Always. Yours ~ Lisa

Share Your Story: Jenny12

| Bloomin' Uterus
quote that reads I have always had heavy, painful periods since age 9.

“Jenny12” is a 39-year-old woman living in New York. Officially diagnosed with Endometriosis five years ago, she shares her journey with us today.

Jenny12’s Journey:

I have always had heavy, painful periods since age 9. After many OBGYN’s trying different B.C. I finally had my first lap surgery 5 years ago, and was told stage IV with some adhesions on bowels that were unable to be excised. Did not really help with the pain with my periods, so I was then given Mirena, that was a huge mistake.

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New Case Study: Endo … in the buttcrack

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Buttcrack

(A quick note from me: I cannot believe I get to update this article, originally written in July 2017 – now I get to add to it in July 2021!)…

Can you imagine cutaneous Endometriosis in your rump! Your crack! The behind!?!

A study published online in June 2017’s edition of the Journal of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Human Reproduction discusses a case of Endometriosis in a very peculiar and very extra-pelvic location: the buttcrack!

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Endometriosis & Perineum

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A starfish on the sand
It’s the only photo I could think of that wasn’t … vulgar

Well, this was a first for me.

I’ve read numerous studies of Endometriosis developing in scar tissue after c-sections or other abdominal surgeries, but this one caught me by such surprise that I wanted to share it with you!  It’s important to any EndoWarriors who may have delivered children naturally and have complaints of pain…”down there.”  Read on!

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Reader’s Choice : C-Sections & Endometriosis

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A friend asked me to look up any connections between Endometriosis and Cesarean Sections.  So, here we go.  Lots of science in this one!  Some studies show that less than 1% of women who undergo a cesarean section end up developing incisional Endometriosis (Endometriosis in or along the c-section scar).  However, that tiny little 1% number has a staggering amount of studies involving a lot of women who suffer from this form of Endo.

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Endometriosis on your skin

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Diagram of human skin

It’s about time I research more about Endometriosis being found in places other than your pelvic region.  We’ve already covered lungs, spine, and eyes, and today we’re going to delve into cases of Endometriosis and skin.  Skin? Yes, skin.  I’ve read that it’s rare, just like the other areas outside of the pelvic cavity…but, it does occur.  Some theorize it is implanted via the lymphatic orpro vascular systems; others think the cells are transplanted via surgery.

There seem to be two common categories of Endometriosis and the skin : spontaneous Endometriosis and scar Endometriosis.  Spontaneous Endo simply appears in random places on healthy skin (cutaneous or subcutaneous).  Scar Endo is found within scar tissue from prior surgeries or injuries.  It appears that surgical excision/removal of the Endometriosis lesions from the skin is the most common and effective way of handling the lesions.  Some surgeries may leave defects, which may (or may not) be repaired or rebuilt with a surgical mesh.  Some studies suggest that hormonal treatment may be too harsh for the patient for solitary lesions.

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Endometriosis & the Eyes

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Potted barrel cactus with googly eyes

During my recent research regarding Endometriosis growing on the lungs and spine, I’ve also bumped into references to incredibly rare cases where it’s been found on the eyes, or the structures near the eyes.  THE EYES!  Ugh.  Makes my skin crawl.  So I figured I’d delve a bit into that today.

Most of all of the books and webpages I’ve read that talk about Endometriosis say it can grow on the eyes, but I’m having an extremely difficult time finding case studies or reports online about it.

In 2008 a case report was published of a 13-year-old girl would bleed from her tear duct during her menstrual cycle.  After imaging studies and other tests, it was suspected that she had Endometriosis inside her nasolacrimal canal (it houses the tear ducts); however, due to the location of the tissue, biopsies (and a confirmed diagnosis) were “impossible.”  For treatment, she was put on birth control.  If that didn’t control her symptoms, she would undergo hormone therapy.  I cannot find any follow-up studies on this poor girl (see photograph below).

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