Cysts: Rid Yourself of Bothersome Bumps

Cysts are balloonlike structures with sturdy membranes containing liquids, semisolids, or even gases. Some cysts are so tiny that they can be seen only with a microscope. Others are so big that they can compromise normal surrounding tissue, including skin and internal organs.

When cysts form just beneath the skin, they’re usually painless, slow-growing, and highly noticeable. When you roll them under your fingers, they often feel smooth to the touch. When cysts form inside the body, however, they often go unnoticed until they’re identified by an imaging study such an X-ray, ultrasound, CT (computed tomography) scan, or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Although it can be scary to find a skin cyst — especially for women who locate one on a breast — skin cysts are rarely cancerous or associated with severe infections. Because they can resemble cancerous lumps, however, it’s important to have any abnormal swelling or lump evaluated by a doctor. Also, seek medical attention if you have a rapidly growing, ruptured, or painful cyst.

Several different procedures can permanently remove medically or cosmetically problematic cysts.

Types of Cysts

Hundreds of different types of cysts can form anywhere in the body. The most common types of skin cysts include:

• Baker’s cysts, which occur behind the knee.
• Bartholin cysts, an enlargement of small glands near the opening of the vagina.
• breast cysts, a benign condition also known as fibrocystic breast disease.
• chalazions, which affect the glands inside the eyelid.
• epidermoid cysts (sebaceous cysts), which can affect any area of skin, most commonly the face, trunk, and neck but also the groin.
• ganglion cysts, which affect joints and tendons, often in the wrist.
• pilonidal cysts, which occur near the tailbone.
• trichelemmal cysts, which occur on the scalp.

Cysts also can form on any internal organ. Some of the most commonly affected organs include the ovaries, kidneys, thyroid gland, and the pineal gland in the brain.

Skin cysts almost always appear after puberty and are more likely to develop in men, people with a history of acne or excessive sun exposure, and those with a recent traumatic skin injury. Internal cysts are associated with infections, tumors, genetic and inflammatory conditions, and defects that occurred during fetal development.

Medical Treatments for Cysts

Although it can be tempting to pop a skin cyst, don’t do it. It increases the risk of infection and permanent scarring.

If you have a worrisome cyst, see a doctor or dermatologist, who can make an appropriate diagnosis and order any necessary tests. Because many cysts go away on their own, your doctor may simply advise you to watch and wait.

If your cyst is medically or cosmetically problematic, your doctor may recommend one of several treatments. These include:

• Corticosteroid injections, which may cause the cyst to shrink and disappear.
• Laser surgery. Your doctor uses a carbon dioxide or other laser to obliterate the cyst, which may minimize scarring on the face or other visible body parts.
• Lancing. Your doctor cuts and drains the cyst, which then must be covered with sterile bandages and treated with antibiotics.
• Surgical techniques. These include minimal excision, which involves lancing and draining the cyst, then removing only the cyst membrane. Total excision — a more invasive technique — involves removal of the entire cyst and requires stitches.

Although cysts can mar your appearance, they’re seldom dangerous. Sometimes, the best course — after receiving medical assurance that they’re not something more serious — is to simply leave them alone and wait for them to disappear. When cysts become problematic, however, you can rid yourself of these bothersome bumps with effective medical treatments.