Epidermoids / Sebaceous Cysts

ladylorenzo

Hey there
Need a bit of advice. Since i was 19 ,I've had a small epidermoid(formerly known as sebaceous gland but this name has fallen into disuse) on my chest. It was always very slight and one would barely notice it. But in the last year, it has grown significantly and i think it's time for it to go. the only thing is that my GP has said that the skin on the neck and chest area scars pretty badly and that i may be better off leaving it. It's making me pretty miserable though so would really love to get it removed. So my question is..has anyone ever had such a cyst removed and if so, has it left bad scarring? Can anyone recommend a plastic surgeon / physician that specialises in removing such cysts?? Would really appreciate some advice!
Thanks, LL

Vorsprung

Go to another GP who will refer you, or insist on a referral from your current GP.

PoleStar

Please note this does not constitue medical advice and should not replace the advice to be had from a physician.

Your GP is right, areas on shoulders and chest have a higher chance of forming whats called a keloid scar and as he probably pointed out, the scar can look worse than the bump itself. If one was to attend a GP and say that you really wanted a certain bump removed then any GP will usually do as you ask and arrange a referral.

r3nu4l

Hmm, while keloids can form on the chest, shoulders and back, they are far more common in ethnic groups such as Africans and Asians. They do occur in caucasians but not to the same extent. Also keloid scars themselves are very difficult to remove and even surgery to remove the scar can result in a 50%-100% chance of recurrence of the keloid.

OP, have you ever had a bacterial infection in the cyst? Apparently this makes them harder to successfully remove but they are more prone to further infection if not removed.

Definitely talk with a GP who can give you a referral to a surgeon. The surgeon should be able to tell you more about the possibility of scarring. If you are concerned by having a scar then ask lots of questions and ask about the likelihood of having a keloid scar forming.

ladylorenzo

Thanks for the advice guys..got a referral to a plastic surgeon in the Mater for July so will have a good chat with him and see what he thinks. Dont mind there being a small scar but looked up keloid scars and they're pretty bad..so maybe my GP was right..that it would be the lesser of two evils to just leave it. We'll see what the surgeon has to say. Thanks again for the advice, LL

r3nu4l

I've had a referral this week to have one on my back removed so I'll be talking to my surgeon sometime over the next 12 weeks about it

Mine has been infected twice and has grown so my GP said he wouldn't remove it in his surgery. That'll be a day off work then

ladylorenzo

r3nu4l wrote:

I've had a referral this week to have one on my back removed so I'll be talking to my surgeon sometime over the next 12 weeks about it

Mine has been infected twice and has grown so my GP said he wouldn't remove it in his surgery. That'll be a day off work then

I dont think it's ever been infected but how do you know?The area surrounding it tends to get slightly itchy every now and then but nothing too serious. Is there anything I should be looking out for?

r3nu4l

I'm afraid that I can't make a diagnosis as this isn't a medical board. When mine suddenly became swollen and sore to touch I went to my GP who diagnosed that as an infection. A course of antibiotics returned it to it's original state on each occassion.

As with all lumps and bumps on the body if there are any dramatic changes it's always a good idea to go to your GP.