Cysts

Cysts

Sometimes unpleasant things just happen without any reason. You get caught in a downpour without an umbrella. You get a flat tire on the way to the airport. You spill ketchup on your suit a few minutes before an important meeting. Or you get a cyst.

In a world of random events, getting a cyst is right up there with the least of the least explainable. Doctors don't know for certain how or why they develop.

Cysts are permanent little lumps, usually harmless and almost always painless, that can appear anywhere on your body but especially around the head, neck and back. The surface of a cyst is smooth, but underneath there's some problem that causes the swelling--a buildup of the body's natural oil (sebum), layers of impacted hair follicles or layers of accumulated skin scales.

Usually it's no big deal. You might see an enlarged, dark pore on the surface, and sometimes there's a bit of oozing. With doctor-prescribed medications and some surgical procedures, a cyst can be treated or removed. But as long as the cyst is not infected and doesn't burst, you can usually just live with it. In fact, the leading advice from dermatologists is:

Let it be. "If the cyst is small and unobtrusive, if it doesn't hurt or itch and if it isn't red or tender, then you can just leave it alone," says Jack L. Lesher, Jr., M.D., associate professor of dermatology at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. A hands-off policy is best for any cyst. Don't touch, pick, paw, squeeze or manipulate it in any way. If the cyst is in a position where it can easily be bumped or scratched, shield it with a gauze pad or some moleskin.

Apply warm compresses. Is the cyst red, oozing its contents or just plain sore? Place a washcloth soaked in warm (not hot) water over the irritated cyst several times a day, says Loretta S. Davis, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at the Medical College of Georgia. "This will increase the blood circulation to the area, quieting down an angry cyst."

Wash and dress a ruptured cyst. "If a cyst should rupture and drain, you run the risk of developing a severe infection," according to dermatologist Joseph Bark, M.D., past chairman of the Department of Dermatology at St. Joseph's Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky. "Wash it with soap and water, dab on some hydrogen peroxide with a cotton ball, and apply an antibacterial ointment such as Polysporin. Cover the area with a bandage or gauze pad to keep dirt off it until a doctor can check it out."

Never, ever remove a cyst yourself. "Bathroom surgery is the worst thing you can do for a cyst," says Dr. Davis. "If you squeeze it, some of the contents will probably be forced deeper into the skin. Your body will view it as foreign material and react with an extreme inflammation. Infection may also occur. You'll succeed only in turning a quiet cyst into an angry one, as well as leaving a scar."