Cysts
Medical Dermatology & Surgical and Cosmetic Dermatology in Fenton, Chesterfield and O'Fallon, MO
Cysts are lumps on your skin that can be painful and unsightly. If you have a cyst, visit Missouri Dermatology Laser and Vein Center in Fenton, Chesterfield, or O’Fallon, Missouri. The team of skin health experts offers comprehensive treatment that includes injections, drainage, and minor surgery. For prompt and effective cyst treatment, call your nearest Missouri Dermatology Laser and Vein Center office today or book an appointment online.
Most cysts are epidermoid. Your skin’s surface (epidermis) consists of a thin layer of cells that you shed continually. Epidermoid cysts form when the cells move deep into your skin and multiply rather than falling off as they usually would. Sometimes epidermoid cysts develop because of skin irritation or injury.
Sebaceous cysts form when the sebaceous gland or duct (passage) gets blocked or damaged. The sebaceous gland produces a lubricating oil called sebum that coats your hair and skin. Injuries like scratches and surgical wounds or skin conditions like acne can trigger sebaceous cyst formation.
Cysts can come up anywhere, but they’re most common on the face, scalp, neck, or trunk. Cysts usually move when you touch them or press on them. They can sometimes become inflamed and painful, and occasionally, cysts can rupture, causing significant pain.
Your doctor at Missouri Dermatology Laser and Vein Center can usually diagnose a cyst from its appearance. They may also take a skin cell sample to look at under a microscope or send a biopsy (tiny piece of skin) to a lab for analysis.
Other diagnostics include CT scans to help assess the cyst’s characteristics and determine the best treatment and ultrasound scans to identify what’s in the cyst. A punch biopsy is another option, where your doctor removes a small part of the cyst for analysis to rule out cancer.
If your cyst isn’t causing any problems, you don’t need to treat it. However, if you’re in pain or find the cyst unsightly, the Missouri Dermatology Laser and Vein Center team offers several therapies:
Your doctor can inject the cyst with medicine to reduce swelling and inflammation.
Your doctor makes a small cut in the cyst, then carefully squeezes out any fluid or pus. This is a straightforward treatment, but cysts can come back afterward.
Cyst removal is an in-office procedure where your doctor removes the entire cyst. It’s safe and usually prevents the cyst from returning. However, you can’t undergo surgery if the cyst is inflamed.
This procedure for sebaceous cysts uses laser (light) energy to make a small drainage hole in the cyst. Your doctor then removes the outer cyst walls about four weeks later.
For expert treatment of cysts, call Missouri Dermatology Laser and Vein Center today or book an appointment online.