How to Deal with a Sebaceous Cyst

Date: Aug-18-2016 Skin lesions described as sebaceous cysts are not usually, in fact, sebaceous cysts at all.

These skin problems are often epidermoid or pilar cysts. Simply talking about a "skin cyst" for both these types may be the best solution. Another term for skin cyst is cutaneous cyst.

Skin cysts are slightly hardened, fluid-filled bumps known as sacs within the skin. The advice on how to deal with one is mainly to avoid worsening the problem. Doctors can treat a bad skin cyst.

There are three common types of skin cyst:

Epidermoid cyst - the lining of the fluid-filled sac is formed by cells from the skin surface

Pilar cysts - the lining is made up of cells like those in the roots of hairs

Sebaceous cysts are much less common - these sacs have oil in them while regular skin cysts do not

Other types of fluid-filled sac can cause problems. These include boils and abscesses. Cysts are different problems. Cysts tend not to be as big or painful as boils and abscesses.

Contents of this article:

What does a sebaceous cyst look like?

What is a sebaceous cyst made of?

How do you get a sebaceous cyst?

Treatment for a sebaceous cyst

What does a sebaceous cyst look like?

A skin cyst is a nodule - a dome-shaped, raised area on the skin. Sometimes these cysts have a point at the top called a punctum, which may be a black spot.

Sebaceous cysts appear as dome-shaped, raised areas on the skin.

The raised bump of a cyst feels harder than normal skin. The cyst and the area of skin around it can be moved like normal skin. This is because cysts are not fixed to anything deeper or below the skin.

A lump that is fixed and cannot be moved around needs to be seen by a doctor.

A skin cyst is usually flesh-colored, but could have slight whitening or yellowing to it.

If it has become infected, a cyst may look red due to inflammation. Infected cysts can also look red with a more visible white appearance, from the infected pus pushing up.

Skin cysts look similar whether they are lined with skin surface cells or lined with root hair cells.

How big are sebaceous cysts?

Most range from pea-sized, at about 1 centimeter across, to around 5 centimeters across.

Where are skin cysts found?

Pilar skin cysts, lined with root hair cells, are almost always on the scalp of the head.

Epidermoid skin cysts are typically found on the face, neck, and upper trunk, or around the genitals.

Tiny epidermoid cysts are often seen on the faces of very young babies. These much smaller cysts are known as milia. They clearly have a pearly white appearance. These facial cysts are filled with the same substance as adult skin cysts.

Symptoms of a sebaceous cyst

Skin cysts do not usually cause any troublesome symptoms beyond the effect of their annoying appearance and unattractive contents.

Skin cysts are not usually tender, but their presence can be obvious to the touch. Cysts on the scalp might catch on a brush or comb, for example.

Cysts are only likely to give pain if they get inflamed or infected. Infections sometimes occur because the cyst has burst. If a cyst becomes infected, it may be more of a painful problem in some parts of the skin than others.

What is a sebaceous cyst made of?

Sebaceous cysts contain a greasy oil that comes from the sebaceous glands.

Both epidermoid and pilar cysts are filled with a substance that is like toothpaste in consistency, and cheesy and smelly.

However, the substance is not - except for complicated cysts - infected by microbes like bacteria. The pus smells worse when it is infected.

Uninfected contents are made up of keratin, the protein responsible for giving strength to the top layer of skin

True sebaceous cysts, which are not seen as often as the skin cysts above, contain a greasy substance. These contents are the oil that comes from sebaceous glands surrounding the base of normal hairs.

The hair base units in the skin are what go wrong when acne occurs. Acne develops when oil gets "plugged in" by pimples. Severe forms of this are not as common, but they can cause cysts.

Epidermoid and pilar skin cysts are different from the cysts that can develop in severe acne.

How do you get a sebaceous cyst?

How skin cysts form is easier to answer than why. The way skin cysts form is by multiplying cells moving inward, rather than moving to the surface and shedding away as skin cells normally do.

The skin is made up of two layers. The top layer is the epidermis, and the outermost of this is where skin cells eventually push up dead and shed away. Underneath the epidermis is the dermis layer.

Epidermoid cysts are when cells from the upper surface layer form a sac down in the lower layer.

Why skin cysts form is not fully known by medical science. In some cases, there is a link to genetics. Gardner's syndrome, for example, is a genetic disorder linked with lots of skin cysts, along with other types of growth. Pilar cysts linked with hairs on the head may have an inherited tendency.

Skin cysts can sometimes form because of damage that causes top-layer cells to be "implanted" in the lower layer.

Treatment for a sebaceous cyst

While skin cysts can look bad, doing anything to them can make them worse:

Sebaceous cysts that cause problems should be looked at by a doctor.

Squeezing a simple cyst at home could cause it to rupture, become inflamed, and get infected

A cyst that is already complicated by infection may get even worse to look at, and more uncomfortable or painful

Picking, rubbing, or squeezing at cysts is likely to cause damage and make any infection worse. It is also likely to make any pain and appearance worse.

Dealing with skin cysts that are causing concern or producing symptoms means getting them seen by a doctor. Doctors can help make sure of the correct diagnosis and deal with any other concerns. They can also treat a troublesome cyst without making it worse.

The only appropriate home treatment for cysts is to keep infected ones clean. These should also be seen by a doctor. After a doctor has removed a plain cyst that was causing problems, the area should also be kept clean.

People can keep a cyst clean at home by using a clean cloth, cotton wool, or medical dressing material. This should be used to help bathe the cyst gently with clean, warm water, and then to dab it dry.

Medical treatment of bad skin cysts

If a cyst is not causing any trouble, there is no good reason for a doctor to intervene.

A doctor may remove a cyst if it is causing problems. This might be because of infection, because the cyst gets in the way of normal actions, or because it is particularly bad to look at due to size or location.

Cyst removal at a doctor's office involves:

Local anesthetic to numb the area

Antiseptic procedures to avoid creating or spreading infection by preparing the skin area, and using a drape and sterile kit

Using a blade and other instruments to cut the cyst out

If a cyst has burst or there is an infection under the skin, the doctor may need to lance and drain it. A course of antibiotics may also need to be taken.

Tiny cysts can also be treated by lancing and draining them.

Doctors removing a cyst will aim to remove it completely. If part of the sac wall is left behind, the cyst may form again.

Removing a cyst can leave a small scar. Cysts that do not cause any problem can safely be left alone without treatment.

Written by Markus MacGill

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.