Cyst removal: what to expect on the day
Sebaceous and epidermoid cysts are usually harmless but can become inflamed or infected. What removal involves, and why timing matters.
Skin cysts are small sacs under the skin, usually filled with keratin - the same material as your nails and hair. They are extremely common and almost always harmless. They become a problem when they catch, grow, become inflamed, or sit somewhere that rubs.
Why timing matters
This is the single most useful thing to know: a cyst is far easier to remove cleanly when it is not inflamed.
An uninflamed cyst can usually be taken out whole, in one go, with a neat closure. An actively infected or inflamed one is a different proposition - the tissue is fragile, the sac tends to break up, the chance of it recurring is higher, and sometimes the sensible course is to settle the inflammation first and remove it properly later.
So if you have a cyst you know you want dealt with, having it done while it is quiet gives the better result.
What happens on the day
The doctor examines it first and confirms what it is and where the incision should go. The area is cleaned and numbed with local anaesthetic - you will feel a sharp scratch and a sting for a few seconds, then nothing beyond pressure.
A small incision is made and the cyst removed along with its sac wall. Getting the whole sac out is what matters: leave part of it behind and it can refill. The wound is closed with stitches and dressed.
Most cyst removals take around 30 minutes including the preparation and the talking.
Afterwards
You go home the same day and can drive. Expect soreness for a few days as the anaesthetic wears off - ordinary painkillers are usually enough.
Keep it dry for 48 hours. Stitches come out after about a week, or one to two weeks on the back where the skin is under more tension. There will be a small scar.
Get in touch if it becomes increasingly painful, red, hot or starts discharging - those can be signs of infection and are worth checking rather than waiting out.
When to get it looked at sooner
Any lump that is growing quickly, feels hard or fixed, is painful without being inflamed, or has changed the skin over it should be assessed promptly. Most turn out to be nothing, and that is worth knowing rather than wondering about.
See our cyst removal page or ring 01482 766555.
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