If a small cyst becomes inflamed, your healthcare provider may inject it with a steroid drug to reduce swelling. A healthcare provider may drain a cyst that is large, tender, or inflamed. Larger cysts may need to be removed if they cause hair loss on the scalp, or interfere with clothing.
After cleaning the cyst, hold a warm compress on the area for five to ten minutes. The moisture and the warmth help to encourage the substance trapped under the skin to make its way out of the hair follicle. Repeat this process up to three times per day until the cyst drains on its own.
Most inflamed sebaceous cysts (inflamed due to sebum) are not infected and will settle spontaneously over 4 weeks. Antibiotics, such as cephalexin or cloxacillin, are commonly used but in fact probably provide little benefit.
Sebaceous cysts are usually harmless and they don't hurt, but keep an eye out for signs of infection. You can get treatment for your sebaceous cyst, or see if it goes away on its own. But, if left untreated, the cyst could be with you forever.
Do not be tempted to burst the cyst. If it's infected, you risk spreading the infection, and it can grow back if the sac is left underneath the skin.
Some sebaceous cysts rupture while they are small. Others become very large, but eventually all cysts rupture. It may burst because there is simply no more room for the pocket to grow. Or, it may be bumped or broken and consequently ruptures.
Large cysts (>5 to 10 cm) are more likely to require surgical removal compared with smaller cysts. However, a large size does not predict whether a cyst is cancerous. If the cyst appears suspicious for cancer (based on tests) or if you have risk factors for ovarian cancer.
A cyst can be injected with steroids. This can reduce inflammation and the cyst may not need to be drained. But infected cysts may need to be cut and drained. To do this, your provider makes a hole in (punctures) the top and removes the contents.
The problem with attempting to pop a sebaceous cyst is that it will likely refill because sebaceous cysts have an entire wall. Removing this wall, or sac, will prevent it from coming back.
Sometimes, nothing will happen if you don't get a cyst removal. They aren't harmful to your health, so if they don't bother you, they can remain just as they are. However, on occasion, a cyst will burst, which can create a more painful and challenging medical situation, especially if your cyst is infected.
Do not squeeze the cyst or poke it with a needle to open it. This can cause swelling, redness, and infection. Always have a doctor look at any new lumps you get to make sure that they are not serious.
A sebaceous cyst usually does not need to be treated unless it is inflamed (red) or is causing a cosmetic problem. Inflamed cysts usually are treated by draining the fluid and removing the shell that make up the cyst wall. You also may be treated with antibiotics if the skin around the cyst is infected.
Sometimes, epidermal cysts are called sebaceous cysts. This is not correct because the contents of the two types of cysts are different. Epidermal cysts are filled with dead skin cells, while true sebaceous cysts are filled with yellowish oily material. (A true sebaceous cyst is called a steatocystoma.)
The minimal excision technique involves a 2- to 3-mm incision, expression of the cyst contents, and extraction of the cyst wall through the incision. Vigorous finger compression is used to express the cyst contents and loosen the cyst wall from the surrounding tissues to facilitate removal of the sac.
Cysts feel like soft blisters when they are close to the skin's surface, but they can feel like hard lumps when they develop deeper beneath the skin.
Normally, sebaceous cysts are asymptomatic. If the cyst partially ruptures, and dead skin ends up in the surrounding tissue, a foreign body reaction can result. This looks like a red, lump of skin and can be very tender.
Cysts can remain small for years or they can keep growing larger. Sometimes, as noted above, a sebaceous cyst can disappear on its own, but surgery is usually necessary to remove them.
A sebaceous cyst does not usually disappear by itself, and it is best to remove the cyst before it grows larger or gets infected. Surgery is a practical and safe method of removing cysts. In certain cases, sebaceous cysts may become cancerous. Surgery to remove the cyst, as well as a biopsy is recommended.
If left untreated, benign cysts can cause serious complications including: Infection – the cyst fills with bacteria and pus, and becomes an abscess. If the abscess bursts inside the body, there is a risk of blood poisoning (septicaemia).
Why is it beneficial to remove a sebaceous cyst surgically? While there is a chance your sebaceous cyst will disappear on its own, it is unlikely. When left untreated, these cysts tend to grow larger over time. Eventually, they become too large and uncomfortable, requiring them to be removed anyway.
In some cases, cysts can become inflamed, swollen, and tender. If a cyst grows rapidly or shows signs of becoming infected, it's likely not going to disappear spontaneously. Similarly, cysts that form in unusual locations or in spots subject to lots of friction or irritation aren't good candidates to go away naturally.