Recurrence After Three Weeks

For over a year I have had them on my soft palate. I have had them removed twice, and twice they have flared back up. My ENT specialist believes it's do to the trauma caused by having them cut out. Seeing that it is located near the scar tissue from the removal.

My doctor told me that unless they do not burst and drain, become hard, or become very painful there is no need to keep having them removed and biopsied any longer. as long as I can live with them.

The bump is always there but about twice a week it will swell up, begins about the size of a very tiny clear BB and in about a day it will drain and go back down. I believe it's because of the location, being near my uvula that when I swallow food. It's really annoying and the fact I am always feeling for it with my tongue because I know it's there doesn't help also LOL

So If anybody else has problems with them re-occuring after the surgery...you are not alone and it is something you can live with. My doctor told me he's heard of people having them for years. It's not dangerous...JUST REALLY ANNOYING!

I've had two surgeries for one on my small palate. Other thatn a flare up a couple weeks after surgery, the little bastard has stayed away. My oral surgeon said if it did come back in the same area, he'd be very reluctant to take it out again for fear of doing permanent damage to the structures nearby.

Thanks for your comments. I had my second surgical excision in the same area about two weeks ago and it looks much better than before (I didn't pass out this time, haha). The ENT cut a little deeper and stitched it up and now it's perfectly flat. However, if I'm not careful about what I eat (i.e. spicy foods, soda, salt, acidic foods), a little bump flares up and it turns dark red. I wonder if this is normal or if this is a recurrence? Or is this just really sensitive scar tissue? Like "bigjohnny" mentioned above, I'm also reluctant to take it out again (if it is even in fact another budding mucocele) and damage the good tissue I have. How long should I wait before I start getting concerned?

Hi Allure, yes I was concerned about the scar tissue as well. It looked red and white, but my ENT specialist, my family doctor, and my dentist all looked at it and said they couldnt see anything and what I saw and feel is the scar tissue. LOL

I'm not a doctor, so I don't want to tell you what you should do. I believe most mucocele's are clear or white. does it behave like the other ones? does it swell up and drain like before? does it tingle when you are about to get it? Is it sore? Does it go away? thats the BIG difference..oral cancer does not come and go..it continues to become worse and worse.

I would say that if it is coming back in the same area, then it's likely to be scar tissue or another mucocele, but ask your doctor if it is bothering you.

But if it is only a mucocle, then you can live with it, they are pretty much harmless...other then being a pain in the neck..or mouth LOL.

I've just decided that unless it changes, I'm gonna live with it, because I'm getting tired of having my mouth cut into a few times a year.

This might be a dumb question, but what does scar tissue look like? I can't really tell the difference. What I have looks somewhat clear, like a baby mucocele, in almost in the exact location where it was removed (only a little further back). When it flares, it does tingle a bit, and I wanted to know if you guys experienced anything similar? Is this normal? How long does it take before it goes away and is completely flat? A couple months?

My scar tissue is actually whitish. It may very well be a "baby mucocele". My first removal of my soft palate one, I had recurrence almost exactly in the same place.

The area may never be completely flat. If it keeps flaring up and is annoying, I'd have it looked at again...and I'd recommend an oral surgeon rather than an ENT, although both are more than qualified. I just found my second oral surgeon a lot more understanding...

Just wanted to give an update -- it doesn't flare up anymore and the area is completely flat. From another person's point of view, it looks normal and you can barely see the scar tissue. But, personally, I can feel the scar tissue with my tongue. I massage it when I can with my finger. I find that drinking warm/hot liquids helps. Don't know if the tissue will ever go away, though. Oh well. I'm just glad I don't have a frickin' mucocele anymore! Just have to be careful not to bite it again. Thanks for this great site. For the past few months, I was worrying my pretty little head off, but coming here helped alleviate my concerns. It only took 2 surgeries to get to where I am. Ha! In your face, mucocele! It better not come back. I'll keep you all posted.

I can relate to the whole looking normal to another person thing LOL. It looks different to us, but nobody else can see it. I know that because lump or tissue from the scar is always there...I find myself feeling it with my tongue quite a bit LOL