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Basics
Description
Granuloma faciale (GF) is an uncommon benign and chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by single/multiple facial cutaneous nodules.
Epidemiology
Primarily a disease of middle-aged white men with rare reports of GF in Japanese, blacks, and children
Incidence/Prevalence
Rare; precise incidence and prevalence are unknown.
Etiology and Pathophysiology
Etiology and pathogenesis are not clearly defined, but several hypotheses exist.
- Some cases are idiopathic.
- Production of interleukin-5 by a clonal T-cell population may lead to attraction of eosinophils to the affected area.
- A γ-interferon–mediated process has also been proposed.
- Sun exposure may play a role, as lesions are more common in sun-exposed areas and sunlight may darken lesions.
Risk Factors
Sun exposure and heat exposure can darken lesions.
Commonly Associated Conditions
Eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis (EAF), which involves mucosal lesions of the nose/mouth, may have concurrent GF in approximately 1/4 of cases and should be considered in GF patients with nasal/upper respiratory symptoms.
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