Sebaceous cyst
| Sebaceous cyst | |
|---|---|
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| Pronunciation | /sɪˈbeɪʃəs sɪst/ |
| Classification and external resources | |
| Specialty | Dermatology, general surgery |
| ICD-10 | Epidermoid cyst L72.0, Pilar cyst L72.1 |
| ICD-9-CM | 706.2 |
| DiseasesDB | 29388 |
| MedlinePlus | 000842 |
| MeSH | D004814 |
A sebaceous cyst is a term commonly used to refer to either:
Both of the above types of cyst contain keratin, not sebum, and neither originates from sebaceous glands. Epidermoid cysts originate in the epidermis and pilar cysts originate from hair follicles. Therefore, technically speaking they are not sebaceous cysts. "True" sebaceous cysts, cysts which originate from sebaceous glands and which contain sebum, are relatively rare and are known as or, if multiple, as .
It has been suggested by medical professionals that the term sebaceous cyst be avoided since it can be misleading. In practice however, the term is still often used for epidermoid and pilar cysts.
The scalp, ears, back, face, and upper arm, are common sites of sebaceous cysts, though they may occur anywhere on the body except the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. In males a common place for them to develop is the scrotum and chest. They are more common in hairier areas, where in cases of long duration they could result in hair loss on the skin surface immediately above the cyst. They are smooth to the touch, vary in size, and are generally round in shape.
They are generally mobile masses that can consist of:
The nature of the contents of a sebaceous cyst, and of its surrounding capsule, differs depending on whether the cyst has ever been infected.
With surgery, a cyst can usually be excised in its entirety. Poor surgical technique, or previous infection leading to scarring and tethering of the cyst to the surrounding tissue, may lead to rupture during excision and removal. A completely removed cyst will not recur, though if the patient has a predisposition to cyst formation, further cysts may develop in the same general area.
Blocked sebaceous glands, swollen hair follicles, high levels of testosterone and the use of androgenic anabolic steroids will cause such cysts.
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