Cysts Under the Skin

Have you ever found a small bump on your wrists, hands or on some other parts of the body? It is highly probable that you have a skin cyst, that can at times be painful. Cysts can grow in any part of the body and a person of any age can be affected from the cysts under the skin. Mostly, cysts are filled with some liquid or semi-solid substance. They are the size of small peas and beans beneath the surface of the skin. How many types of cysts are there? This is a question that cannot be answered strictly, because there are many of types of cysts. Few of them are mentioned below.

• Ovarian cysts
• Cysts within the thyroid gland
• Ganglion cysts (in tendons and joints)
• Pilonidal Cysts
• Baker's Cyst
• Cystic Acne
• Sebaceous Cysts
• Lipoma

What causes cysts under the skin? Though there are no exact reasons known for cysts under the skin, still medical experts suggest few possible causes of cysts under the skin. Cysts may occur due to skin infections or acute inflammatory conditions. Often, there are genetic or hereditary cases like Gardener's syndrome, in the families that are passed it on to the offsprings, that can be a cause of cysts in the skin. In this article, however, I have discussed the most common types of cysts under the skin, i.e. the sebaceous cysts and cystic acne.

Sebaceous Cysts
Sebaceous cysts are also often known as epidermoid cysts and they are usually found on ears, upper arms, scalp and back. A small whitish lump in the skin is usually called as milla, whereas those that occur on the scalp are known as wens. Wens are filled with fatty matter, called as sebum, that is secreted by the sebaceous glands. These glands may be blocked due to some reasons. Generally, cysts are in the size of 5 mm to 4 cm in diameter, but the size may vary depending on the intensity and the duration for which the cyst has affected the skin. Our skin epidermis is made up of a thin lining of epithelial cells, that are shed occasionally by the skin in order to replace them with new cells. However, often instead of dropping off, these cells penetrate deep into the skin and cause sebaceous cysts. The sebaceous cysts are generally round, smooth, soft and whitish-yellow in color. When an infected sebaceous cyst erupts, a foul smelling whitish-gray semi-solid substance oozes out from it.

Sebaceous cyst removal is not necessary till it starts causing pain. Generally, the cysts get removed naturally after few days, but if the sebaceous cysts are causing some pain and you are feeling uncomfortable in dealing with them, then do go to the medical expert. Treatments for sebaceous cysts involve open excision and minimal excision. If you have cysts that have grown over a long period of time and have matured and are causing pain, then for complete removal you require the minimal excision technique. Taking proper skin care and preventing the skin from infections can help you reduce the risk of cysts. Cosmetics and skin creams must be avoided at the most, however, if you must, use only the creams that suits your skin type.

Cystic Acne
Cystic acne is a severe type of the acne that usually affects the teenagers. However, it may affect people of any ages. Cystic acne is one of most painful cysts under the skin and occurs due to the blockage of the oil ducts, that lead to infections. Many factors are responsible for the cystic acne, like the type of skin, skin infections and in many cases hereditary cases of skin diseases in the family. Treatment for the cystic acne involves a complete cleaning of the skin, using a specific skin treatment methodology. The skin is treated with the chemicals like benzoyl peroxide and other cleansers, in order to remove the dirt and dust and maintain the hygiene of the skin. There are also some natural treatments for cystic acne that are free of side effects and help a lot in the treatment process.

Another very common lump that is found under the skin of many people, is lipoma, popularly known as a 'lump of fat'. Lipomas are benign fatty cysts under the skin, that are generally painless. They may be dome or egg-shaped and often grow up to 2 to 10 cm in diameter. As we can see, there are many types of cysts under the skin and they have many broad classifications. Whatever the case may be, it is a fact that if the cysts are causing problem in your regular activities, then consulting a doctor is mandatory. Also, maintaining hygiene of the skin is an effort that we should take on our own to minimize the chances of such cysts under the skin.