Head and neck pilomatrixoma in children.

OBJECTIVE: To provide a review of the current information on the etiology, clinical presentation, management, and outcome of pilomatrixoma of the head and neck in children. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: A tertiary care pediatric center. PATIENTS: Fifty-one pediatric patients with a diagnosis of pilomatrixoma of the head and neck. INTERVENTION: All patients underwent excision of pilomatrixoma from January 1997 to March 1999. A total of 55 tumors were studied. RESULTS: A preponderance of girls (n = 36; 71%) presented with this condition. The average age at diagnosis was 5.7 years, and the average size of the lesion was 1 cm. The skin of the cheek and the periorbital area were the most commonly involved sites. Only 27 lesions (49%) had a correct preoperative diagnosis. Two (4%) of 55 tumors recurred after complete surgical excision. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The age and sex of the patient, preoperative diagnosis, time elapsed before diagnosis, site and size of the tumor, length of follow-up, presence of multiple or previous pilomatrixomas, and recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative diagnosis may be improved with increased awareness of pilomatrixoma, a common, benign skin tumor in children. Clinical findings will aid in an accurate diagnosis. Recurrence after complete local excision is rare.