Sebaceous Cyst Archives

sebaceous cyst help please?

Dear Dr. Stoll,

I have a sebaceous cyst 1.5cm on my face under my skin with no horn, pea size, near my left ear, for 15 years, no problems, no growing, no infection.Three weeks ago I injured it and the next day started to swell, became red and I was in pain. It looks like that the cyst has ruptured , the area got infected with staph. epidermidis and an absess was developed under the cyst. I visited a dermatologist who gave me antibiotics Bacrtum, then Z-thromycin. The Dr. used a neddle to draw some pus from the swelling to do the culture. He told me that he has to open the skin and drain the absess, do nothing to the cyst until the area heals itself. He also said that after he would clean the absess using a small incision I will have to pack for the next four days until the infection goes away.

Is this a good idea or the infection will be spread on nearby skin?

Do you think the Doc can do it without any incision by using only a needle to draw the absess? (4 cm absess).

I do not want to have a scar on my face just for the infection to heal, and then have another scar for the removal of the cyst. Is there any alternative that I should be doing for the infection? I am trying warm compresses and herbs (got minor help from the herbs).

Do you think that the cyst will be injured if I let the Doc to use a needle to remove the absess? Will this make the cyst no to remain intact?

IS there any other way to treat the absess without opening the skin?

I have no fever or chills.

Please help, still have pain, swelling and redness (maybe from the absess).

Thank you very much.

Kate

Follow Ups:

• Re: infected sebaceous cyst help please? (Archive.) Walt Stoll 08:27:55 10/18/03 (0)

In Reply to: sebacious cyst help please? posted by kate on October 17, 2003 at 15:03:47:

Hi, Kate.

First of all, the doc did a faulty culture! Pus is a mixture of dead white blood cells (who died fighting the bacteria) and dead bacteria (killed by the white blood cells). Therefore any sample taken from that material will not show the germ that is causing the infection. A small and superficial nick (with a scalpel) has to be made in the margin of the infection and a sample of that blood taken to the lab for culture. This is one of the first things we are taught in clinical bacteriology class. In my opinion, your doc must have been absent that day :o). Staph epidermidis is a non-pathogenic normal inhabitant of the skin and could not be the infecting organism.

Are you following the protocol for hot compresses in the archives?

The needle WILL help keep the cyst intact. As soon as this infection has quieted down you need to get this removed WITHOUT BREAKING THE CYST. With this much infection the odds are that it's quiet time has ended and from now on this will continue to happen.

Hope this helps.

Let us know how you do.

Walt