Down Syndrome and Syringomas

Down Syndrome and Syringomas

Syringomas (seer-in-go-mas) are small, skin-colored bumps that can happen on the face in people with Down syndrome.

 What causes syringomas?

Syringomas are small, benign (noncancerous) growths on the skin. They develop from sweat glands. Sweat glands help keep the body cool by making sweat. When sweat glands overreact, they can grow to form syringomas. People with Down syndrome have an extra copy of chromosome 21. This can lead to changes in skin proteins and cause syringomas.

 What do syringomas look like?

Syringomas are:

• Round, tiny, hard bumps on the skin.
• They can be yellow, brown, pink, or skin-colored.
• They are commonly seen around the eyes. They may also appear on the cheeks, neck, and chest.
• Syringomas usually have no symptoms.

They typically occur around puberty. Syringomas are often on the neck, armpits, chest, abdomen, and groin area. On rare occasions, they can cause discomfort, especially when sweating.

Syringomas often appear slowly over time. When many syringomas develop suddenly, this is called eruptive syringomas. This is less common.