Clear Cell Acanthoma, also called Degos Acanthoma, is a skin lesion that shares many characteristics with Seborrheic Keratoses that I occasionally encounter in both my The Woodlands dermatology and Conroe dermatology clinics. Clear Cell Acanthomas are red scaly plaques that range in size from 1 to 2 cm and usually begin in adulthood. The most common anatomical site to encounter a Clear Cell Acanthoma is the anterior shin but they can be found anywhere on the leg and are rarely found on the abdomen or scrotum. Clear Cell Acanthomas are benign but Squamous Cell Cancer has been reported to arise from them in rare instances. On histology, Clear Cell Acanthomas have an acanthotic (thickened) epidermis comprised of “clear” cells. The “clear” appearance is secondary to the cells containing glycogen. Clear Cell Acanthomas can be treated with liquid nitrogen or shave excision.
