Sebaceous Cyst Removal in Indore

A sebaceous cyst, more accurately called an epidermoid or pilar cyst, is a slow-growing lump just under the skin filled with keratin. It is entirely benign. Most are painless and cause concern only for cosmetic reasons or because of their location, but once a cyst becomes infected it turns into a red, painful abscess, and treatment at that stage is more complicated and more likely to leave a scar.

What is a Sebaceous Cyst?

The cyst forms when the opening of a hair follicle or sebaceous gland becomes blocked. Skin cells continue to be shed into a closed sac lined by epidermis, and this thick, cheesy keratin material accumulates over months or years. The classic sign is a small dark central dot on the skin, the punctum, which marks the blocked opening. The intact sac wall is the crucial detail: if any of it is left behind, the cyst reliably returns.

Where They Occur and What Causes Them

1. Common sites: Scalp, face, behind the ear, neck, back, chest, groin and scrotum.
2. Blocked follicles: The basic mechanism, often following minor trauma or a healed pimple.
3. Acne-prone skin: Higher incidence in those with a history of acne.
4. Genetic conditions: Multiple cysts occur in Gardner syndrome and steatocystoma multiplex.
5. Age and sex: Most common in adults between 20 and 50, and more frequent in men.

Symptoms of a Sebaceous Cyst

1. A smooth, round, mobile lump under the skin, firm but slightly compressible
2. A visible central punctum
3. Very slow growth over months or years
4. Discharge of thick, cheesy, foul-smelling material if it ruptures
5. If infected: redness, heat, throbbing pain, rapid swelling and sometimes fever
6. Cosmetic concern or friction from clothing, spectacles or a razor

When to See a Doctor

See a surgeon if the lump is enlarging, is in a cosmetically visible or awkward location, has become painful or red, or has discharged and refilled. Any lump that grows rapidly, is fixed to underlying tissue, ulcerates or bleeds should be assessed and sent for histology, since a small number of skin lesions can mimic a simple cyst. Diabetic patients should have infected cysts treated promptly.

Treatment for Sebaceous Cyst

1. Observation: Small, uninfected, symptomless cysts can safely be left alone.
2. Complete surgical excision: The definitive treatment. The entire sac is removed intact under local anaesthesia in a short daycare procedure, with fine sutures and an excellent cosmetic result.
3. Minimal-incision technique: A small incision through which the sac is delivered, leaving a much smaller scar. Suitable for many uninfected cysts.
4. Incision and drainage first: If the cyst is acutely infected, it is drained and treated with antibiotics, and definitive excision is performed a few weeks later once inflammation has settled. Excising an actively infected cyst gives a poorer scar and a higher recurrence rate.
5. Histopathology: The excised specimen is examined where there is any atypical feature.
6. Multiple cysts: Several can be removed in one sitting, and underlying conditions investigated where relevant. See also our multiple lump removal page.

What Happens If You Delay Treatment

Cysts grow slowly but steadily, and a larger cyst needs a longer incision and leaves a longer scar. The more significant risk is infection: an infected cyst is painful, needs urgent drainage, heals with a poorer cosmetic result and frequently recurs because the sac cannot be fully removed while inflamed. Squeezing a cyst at home is the commonest trigger for this, since it ruptures the sac into the surrounding tissue. Elective removal of a quiet cyst is a 20-minute procedure with a neat result.