Cyst Removal at Glasgow Skin Specialists
What Are Cysts?
Epidermoid cysts are benign (non cancerous) sacs, filled with a mixture of keratin and oils. They are common and can occur anywhere on the skin, but most commonly on the chest, back and scalp. They are most commonly caused by a blocked oil gland or hair follicle, but can also be caused by your outer layer of skin getting buried in the deeper layer, usually by injury or surgery. They are relatively harmless, but complications can arise in the form of infection, which can be recurrent, or spontaneous rupture, releasing an unpleasant discharge. There is a very low risk of cancer cells growing within a cyst (malignant transformation).
Cyst Removal
What to expect:
1 / Consultation
When you attend for your consultation, you will be seen by a specialist dermatologist or plastic surgeon, who will take a short medical history from you and some photographs of the lesion for your medical records. They will discuss with you your options for treatment, which will usually be a cyst removal operation under local anaesthetic. Most cysts will be fairly straightforward to remove, but some can grow to be very large and then the operation is more complex. You will be offered the choice of sending the cyst away for histological examination due to the low risk of malignant transformation. Following this discussion, if you are happy to proceed, you will be offered a further appointment to return for your surgery.
2 / Surgical Procedure
The cyst removal operation is carried out under local anaesthetic. These are skin-numbing injections, similar to that used at a dentist. Once the skin is numbed, a cut is made in the skin overlying the cyst, and the cyst itself is carefully removed through the hole. The skin edges are then brought back together with some stitches. The wound will heal in a week or two, leaving a straight scar, which will continue to mature over a period of months. Cyst removal usually takes about 45 minutes, depending on the complexity.
3 / Histology
There is a low risk of malignant transformation in cysts. It is usually recommended that if you have a cyst removed, it is sent for histological examination, although the chances of finding anything untoward is very low. The additional charge for histology will be discussed with you at your consultation and again prior to surgery.
4 / Postoperative Care
Following your surgery, you will be given some aftercare information and offered a follow-up appointment free of charge, to ensure your wounds have healed satisfactorily and to take some post-operative photographs.