PUBLISHED: Sebaceous Cyst Excision

Sebaceous Cyst Excision
Casey L. Meier, RN¹; Marcus Lester R. Suntay, MD, FPCS, FPSPS, FPALES²
¹Lincoln Memorial University, DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine
²Philippine Children’s Medical Center

Sebaceous cysts are closed sacs filled with foul-smelling, cheese-like material found underneath the skin. They form when a gland or hair follicle becomes blocked and are commonly found on the scalp, face, neck, or torso. Sebaceous cysts are non-cancerous and usually present as painless lumps, but can become tender when infected.

In most cases, smaller sebaceous cysts may be ignored as they do not cause any symptoms; however, larger cysts may need to be removed with complete excision recommended to prevent recurrence. Oral antibiotics may be required when a sebaceous cyst becomes infected. Here is the case of a 33-year-old male patient who underwent complete resection of a 2-year-old cyst.