Sebaceous cysts normally occur on the head, neck and shoulders or face. These are closed sacs that form under the skin near the sebaceous glands. The sacs or normally filled with fatty, white, cheese-like or oily substance called sebum. These kinds of cysts may or may not arise from an infected hair follicle or infected oil gland. Sometimes certain skin traumas can cause a sebaceous cyst to form too. Sebaceous cysts may or may not disappear on their own accord. Sebaceous cysts can first start off as a lump or thickening under the skin and may have the appearance of a whitehead or pimple.
Sebaceous cysts may be asymptomatic and can be left alone with no medical attention needed as long as it is not infected or causing a problem. Sometimes sebaceous cysts can be in an area that is cosmetically unacceptable, such as on the face. Sebaceous cysts removal can be done surgically in these cases even if they’re not infected.
Sebaceous cysts removal can involve an excision to remove the cysts and once the cysts are removed the incision can be sutured together leaving a very tiny scar. These cysts can sometimes grow quite large and can interfere with your everyday life. They may also become infected and inflamed and tender to the touch. Sebaceous cysts removal and treatment from a doctor is normally required under these circumstances. If you have sebaceous cysts that need removed you can usually have the procedure done in the doctor’s office. If the cysts are small they can sometimes be treated in the doctor’s office with an injection of steroid medications. Oftentimes oral antibiotics are also prescribed for people who have infected sebaceous cysts.
Sebaceous cysts removal requires that the entire cyst sac and its contents be removed surgically or else it may come back. When these cysts are removed using poor surgical techniques it can leave a bad scar. However, most of these types of cysts can be removed with no complications at all in very little scarring. The removal of the cyst requires that the area around the cyst be numbed with the local antiseptic. Some doctors may prefer to only lance the cyst instead surgically removing the entire sac if it is a small one. They will then try to squeeze out the contents. Lancing the cyst does not guarantee that it will not return.
If the doctor who is removing the cyst can not remove all of the sac in one piece an instrument to scrape whatever is left of the cyst is used. This procedure is called cutterage. Once this is done the wound can be cauterize closed. When this type of the sebaceous cysts removal is done these cysts may or may not grow back. The wound is normally washed out with iodine and then filled with an antiseptic ribbon in these types sebaceous cysts removal procedures. The antiseptic ribbon is used to prevent infection. The wound will then be properly dressed. The antiseptic ribbon and the dressing will normally have they changed every day for up to 10 days when this procedure is performed. After 10 days the wound can be stitched back together.
A new type of sebaceous cysts removal is being done by some doctors these days. This new procedure involves what is called a punch biopsy excision. In this new procedure there are two steps. The first step involves a laser beam that makes a small hole in the cyst so that the contents can be removed. The patient is then sent home. One month later the second step is done, which involves removing the entire wall or sac of the cyst with a small excision. This new type of sebaceous cysts removal will only leave a tiny scar. This type of sebaceous cysts removal is a particularly good option when the cysts are exceptionally large or found in areas where the skin is really thick.
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