An epidermal cyst is a lump under the skin. It has soft, yellow matter inside. They often happen on the face, neck, chest, upper back, genitals, or behind the ears.
It may be caused by:
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Acne and skin injuries raise the risk of this type of cyst.
Problems may be:
You will be asked about your symptoms and health history. A physical exam will be done. This is often enough to make the diagnosis. You may be sent to a doctor who treats skin problems.
The cyst may go away on its own. It may need to be treated when it causes problems. This can be done with:
Antibiotics may be given to treat infection.
There is no way to prevent an epidermal cyst.
American Academy of Dermatology
http://www.aad.org
Family Doctor–American Academy of Family Physicians
http://familydoctor.org
Canadian Dermatology Association
http://www.dermatology.ca
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Common benign skin lesions. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at:https://www.dynamed.com/condition/common-benign-skin-lesions. Updated February 5, 2018. Accessed November 25, 2019.
Cysts. DermNet NZ website. Available at: http://dermnetnz.org/lesions/cysts.html. Updated February 2016. Accessed November 25, 2019.
Moreno-Ramírez D, Ruiz-Villaverde R, et al. A. process of care for patients with benign cysts and tumors: Consensus document of the Andalusian Regional Section of the Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV). Actas Dermosifiliogr. 2016 Jun;107(5):391-399.
Last reviewed September 2019 by EBSCO Medical Review Board James P. Cornell, MD Last Updated: 7/28/2020
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