Solitary Angiofibroma
Author: Saumya Singh
Chief Editor: Dr Daniel Keith
A fibrous papule of the nose is a common, benign skin growth. It appears as a firm, solitary bump locatedon or near the nose and has a distinctive appearance when examined microscopically. This lesion may also be referred to as a fibrous papule of the face, solitary angiofibroma, or sporadic angiofibroma. Fibrous papules are non-cancerous skin growths that typically develop with age. Most individuals have either one or two lesions. When viewed microscopically, these papules are composed of collagen and blood vessels. Fibrous papules are not cancerous and do not become cancerous.
Fibrous papules are quite common and can affect individuals of all ages, typically appearing in late adolescence or early adulthood. It is possible to have multiple fibrous papules without any related health issues. However, an abundance of these lesions may indicate genetic conditions such as tuberous sclerosis, Birt-Hogg-Dubé.
In association with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) facial angiofibromas are commonly seen in around 80% cases. Full syndrome includes skin lesions, learning difficulties and epilepsy with an onset before 5 years of age. Thus, early diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is essential for effective management, aiming to prevent or delay systemic manifestations of the disease and thereby reduce mortality and morbidity rates. This is particularly important even in mild or asymptomatic cases, as individuals should be informed about the potential risk of passing the condition to their children. Additionally, recognising facial angiofibromas (FAs) is crucial, as they can indicate an undiagnosed case of TSC.
Macroscopic Appearance

The fibrous papule of the nose is dome-shaped, firm, non-tender, measuring approximately 1–6 mm in diameter. It can be skin-coloured, pigmented, white, or red in colour. Usually, they present as a single lesion but in some cases there can be two.
Dermoscopic Appearance
Dermoscopic findings are identical to the ones seen in tuberous sclerosis.
Key findings are:
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Presence of yellow-white dots (representing follicular hyperkeratosis) over a brown to reddish-brown background (representing an increased number of dermal blood vessels) with unfocussed vessels
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Unevenly distributed specks/ dots of brown pigmentation (representing melanocytic hyperplasia)
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Lesions may have surface crypts.
Polarised dermoscopy shows a repetitive pattern in all lesions, consisting of multiple whitish globules over a reddish-brown background; in the majority of cases, comma and/or hairpin vessels were also observed.

Multiple lesions are seen in tuberous sclerosis

Dermoscopic appearance of a solitary papule of the nose
