If you notice a small, ball-like lump under your skin, it could be a sebaceous cyst. While you should always get any worrying skin developments checked out by a doctor, you don't necessarily need to get them treated with heavy-duty medications. If you have a small sebaceous cyst (less than 1 cm in diameter), you can usually treat it yourself.
Self-treatment
A sebaceous cyst will feel like a fluid-filled ball beneath the skin. You should get a doctor to look at the lump before treatment. It could be a different kind of cyst or infection, which could be more serious.
If it is indeed a sebaceous cyst, fill a heating pad with hot water or dip a washcloth in very hot water. The heating pad method is preferred, as it retains heat for a longer time.
Place the pad or washcloth on the cyst for 15 minutes. Repeat twice a day.
The heat will help to dissolve the fluid that's built up inside the cyst.
Your cyst should be gone or significantly reduced within ten days.
Tip
If your cyst is more than 1 cm. in diameter or does not shrink with the heating pad method, you should see your doctor again. You will most likely be recommended antibiotics. If the cyst is large enough, you may need to have it surgically removed.
Warning
Do not carry out any major treatment without seeing a doctor Do not try to pop the cyst, as this may make the infection worse If the cyst occurs in the genital region, be sure to see a doctor
Writer Bio
Elyse Franko graduated from American University in 2008 with a B.A. in foreign language and communication media and international studies. Her experience includes covering health care reform in Washington, D.C., blogging for the Travel Channel, and editing for the "Austrian Times." Franko recently returned from Vienna, Austria, where she worked as a Fulbright English Language Teaching Assistant.
