Sebaceous cysts can appear anywhere on the body and are generally not serious. Should they be removed? Answers from Dr. Sophie Aubry, dermatologist.
Sebaceous cysts look like small, hard, rounded balls under the skin. They affect men more frequently than women, particularly because their skin is thicker. They are caused by a build-up of sebum under the skin. While this condition is (in most cases) painless and benign, it can be annoying or become infected and painful. It is then possible to have the skin cyst removed by a doctor.
Lump under the skin: how to know if it is a sebaceous cyst?
A sebaceous cyst (also called an epidermal cyst) is a particular form of cyst, which refers to a benign tumor containing a pasty substance consisting mainly of sebum and surrounded by a wall, the shell.
It forms in the superficial layer of the skin during a dysfunction of the sebaceous glands. These glands are attached to the hairs, constituting the pilosebaceous apparatus. Their role is to synthesize sebum, a substance essentially composed of lipids, which has the function of protecting the skin. When they become blocked causing the accumulation of sebum, a cyst or acne lesions can form.
Face, back, scalp, pubis… Where do epidermal cysts form?
In most cases, sebaceous cysts appear where the sebaceous glands are most numerous, i.e. on the face, neck, trunk, and sometimes the scalp. They form a small, firm, well-defined subcutaneous bump, skin-colored or slightly white-yellow. Men are more likely to have cysts because of their thicker skin.
