General Dermatology | Sebaceous Cysts

What Are Sebaceous Cysts?

A sebaceous cyst is a non-cancerous growth that occurs in your sebaceous glands under your skin.

They form when a hair follicle ruptures, is injured or the duct is abnormal. Typically, these types of cysts don’t require treatment unless they become inflamed or infected. These cysts can occur on anyone’s body at any age.

Signs and Symptoms of Sebaceous Cysts

The most common symptom of a sebaceous cyst is the formation of lump under your skin’s surface and usually occur on your face, neck or torso.

Additional symptoms of cysts may include:

Tenderness
Warm, red skin
Discharge of a thick, grayish, foul-smelling drainage

Causes of Sebaceous Cysts

Sebaceous cysts occur when a hair follicle is swollen or ruptured, either due to acne, an injury to the skin or a sebaceous duct that’s malformed, while other times there may be no apparent cause.

Sebaceous Cysts Treatments

Sebaceous cysts usually only require treatment if they become infected or are inflamed and bothersome, with the treatment focusing on relieving your pain and the inflammation to help avoid and prevent abscess.

Our treatments may include:

Antibiotics
Steroid injection
Surgery – a cut will be made in your cyst to remove all of the material inside it