Sebaceous Cysts by Jordan Pfaff

When thinking on what topic I would write a health paper on, one subject came to mind right away: sebaceous cysts. This is a subject that concerns me personally and this paper gives a good reason to further study this medical condition. Knowing what they are, and how they can be remedied would be a useful bit of information for anyone who might believe that they have one. After all, around 200,000 people in the United States alone have this condition.

In studying sebaceous cysts, it would help to first understand what a cyst is. There are many types of cysts, each affecting the human body differently depending on where they are located and how they came to be. A cyst is an enclosed sac of tissue on the human body. It can be filled with fluid, air, or other materials depending on where the cyst is located. The most common types of cysts occur on the skin however.  Sebaceous cysts are one of these types.

Sebaceous cysts typically contain a “cheesy” grayish yellow fluid inside them. They can occur on almost any region of the human body, the exceptions being the soles of the feet and the palms. The most common are on the scalp, neck, back, and torso. In males, the chest and genitals are the two most common spots for sebaceous cysts to occur. There are several ways to cause sebaceous cysts to form, the most common being inflammation of hair follicles, and skin injury. The main culprits of these reasons are acne and body piercings, respectively.

Depending on the severity of the cyst and the preferences of the patient, sebaceous cysts can sometimes left alone without treatment and heal naturally. This can occur if the cyst is smaller and doesn’t cause discomfort to the patient. The main health issue with sebaceous cysts is infection however. Once a cyst starts to grow larger, it can cause pain to the patient and start to leak out the fluid inside. This fluid, keratin, is harmless but foul smelling. Once this occurs, it is a good idea to consult a dermatologist for further treatment.

Normally the cure is to remove the sac all together from the skin by surgery. This method prevents any other cysts from growing at that spot, although more may grow if the patient has a genetic predisposition for cysts.  If the cyst is left on its own, it is possible it may never come back, though it is also possible for it to fill up again. Antibiotics are generally issued to patients who seek medical help to combat the open cyst from becoming infected. Also, scarring is very common after the removal of the sebaceous cyst.

In conclusion, while sebaceous cysts are not generally hazardous to one’s health, they are very common and can be a nuisance. With proper treatment, they can be cured and should be. Even without seeing a doctor, there are ways to make a home remedy. Even just putting a warm cloth over the affected area can cure it. It’s a rather simple solution to a simple problem really.

 

References

PrimeHealthChannel  http://www.primehealthchannel.com/sebaceous-cyst-epidermal-cyst-pictures-causes-treatment-and-removal.html

Pub Med Health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001845/

Mayo Clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sebaceous-cysts/DS00979