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Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Sebaceouscysts are soft skin-colored lumps that slowly grow under the skin. They are filled with a thick, oily substance that may drain out. Painless and otherwise harmless, sebaceous cysts can sometimes get infected.It is very rare for a sebaceous cyst to become malignant, or cancerous.
Sebaceous cysts can be easily moved under the skin. While they can pop up anywhere on the body, they are commonly found on the head, back of the ears, neck, and trunk.
jarabee123 / Getty Images
This article looks at the symptoms of sebaceous cysts, how they’re diagnosed, and what treatment options are available. It also discusses when sebaceous cyst removal is needed and how it’s done.
What Is a Cyst?Acystis a pouch-like tissue sac filled with fluid, air, or semi-solid substances like keratin. There are many types of cysts. Some, like sebaceous cysts, occur underneath the skin. Others form inside the body, such as on the kidneys or breast.
What Is a Cyst?
Acystis a pouch-like tissue sac filled with fluid, air, or semi-solid substances like keratin. There are many types of cysts. Some, like sebaceous cysts, occur underneath the skin. Others form inside the body, such as on the kidneys or breast.
Sebaceous Cyst Symptoms
Sebaceous cysts have several notable features:
Some sebaceous cysts stay the same size over time, while others get bigger. That can get uncomfortable or painful, especially if they’re inflamed.
Sebaceous cysts can also become inflamed. If they do, you may notice:
Are Sebaceous Cysts Common?Sebaceous cysts are not uncommon. Anyone can get a sebaceous cyst during their lifetime. However, some people may be genetically prone to getting these skin lesions or have another condition that makes getting them even more common.
Are Sebaceous Cysts Common?
Sebaceous cysts are not uncommon. Anyone can get a sebaceous cyst during their lifetime. However, some people may be genetically prone to getting these skin lesions or have another condition that makes getting them even more common.
What Causes Sebaceous Cysts?
To understand where sebaceous cysts come from, it’s important to understand certain structures in the skin. Sebaceous glands in the skin produce sebum, an oily liquid with several vital functions, like temperature regulation, lubrication, and protection from environmental factors.Hair follicles are located adjacent to sebaceous glands. When the pore leading from the sebaceous gland to the hair follicle becomes blocked, material can build up, and a sebaceous cyst forms.
Some reasons the sebaceous gland can become blocked include:
What’s Inside a Sebaceous Cyst?
Sebaceous cysts are filled with dead skin cells andkeratin, a protein in your hair, skin, nails, glands, and internal organs. If a sebaceous cyst breaks open, you’ll see keratin ooze out. It looks pasty or cheesy and may have a foul odor.Infected sebaceous cysts may also be filled with pus.
True sebaceous cysts originate from the outer layer of skin (theepidermis). Their proper name is “epidermoidcyst,” but many people (including healthcare providers) still use the term “sebaceous cyst.”
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See PhotoCyst of a sebaceous gland on the scalp.Lester V. Bergman / Getty Images
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.See Photo
This photo contains content that some people may find graphic or disturbing.
Many healthcare providers can diagnose sebaceous cysts on sight. Sometimes, they may order abiopsyor skin culture to rule out similar conditions.
Things that may look like a sebaceous cyst include:
Don’t try to diagnose yourself. See a healthcare provider so you know for sure what it is.
Sebaceous Cyst Treatment
There are no proven or reliable ways to dissolve a sebaceous cyst naturally. You should never try to pop or drain a sebaceous cyst yourself, as this can cause infection. It’s OK if they drain on their own, however. A sebaceous cyst could resolve within about four weeks or grow or become inflamed or infected.
If a sebaceous cyst is inflamed and bothersome,steroid injectionscan be used to calm and shrink it.
If a sebaceous cyst becomes infected, a healthcare practitioner willopen and drainit using sterile tools. They may numb the area ahead of time, often with the druglidocaine, to minimize pain.
When Surgery Is Needed
Sometimes sebaceous cysts grow large enough to interfere with your daily life. These may need to be removed. This is typically performed via a small incision using local anesthesia at the dermatologist’s office.
Your healthcare provider will probably wait until your cyst isn’t inflamed or infected to proceed with surgical removal. This can keep the cyst from coming back.
Treating Inner and Outer Ear Cysts
Sebaceous Cyst Removal Recovery
Sebaceous cyst removal is minimally invasive, so recovery tends to be fairly straightforward.Recovery becomes more complicated and prolonged if the site of the removed sebaceous cyst becomes infected.
Otherwise, the length of your recovery from a sebaceous cyst removal depends on the size of your sebaceous cyst and how it is removed.
If the cyst is surgically removed and there is an open wound, it can take several weeks for the wound to heal. You may or may not have stitches that must also be taken out.
While incision and drainage take less time to heal—typically about a week—there is a high chance that the sebaceous cyst may recur, thus requiring further treatment and recovery.
How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Sebaceous Cyst?
Summary
Sebaceous cysts are bumps just under the skin full of keratin. Despite the name, they don’t contain sebum. They can usually be diagnosed on sight. Biopsies can rule out similar problems if needed.
Treatments can involve steroid injections, drainage, or surgical removal. Left untreated, these cysts can become quite large, uncomfortable, or unsightly, which could require surgery. Getting a sebaceous cyst treated early can prevent the need for surgical intervention.
What to Do About Pilar Head Cysts
14 Sources
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