Cysts are growths just under the skin that a dermatologist can remove without causing any unnecessary damage. At Heights Dermatology in Houston, Rosenberg, Lake Jackson, Portland, Corpus Christi, Palacios, Columbus, Gonzales, Dallas, Mansfield, Beaumont, Bay City, New Braunfels, and San Antonio, Texas, expert dermatologists safely remove cysts with their walls, so they don’t grow back larger. Schedule your consultation for cyst removal over the phone or online at the nearest Heights Dermatology office today.
What is a cyst?
A cyst is a small tissue sac within body tissues full of fluid, air, or other substances. Some are deep under the skin, while others are more superficial. Although finding a cyst on your body may be a bit startling, most are noncancerous and harmless.
Heights Dermatology provides cyst removal services for several of the most common types of cysts that appear on your skin. They include:
Epidermal cysts
Epidermal cysts feel like nodules under the skin; you can move them a bit with your finger. They tend to appear in places like your face, ears, neck, and scalp. They’re usually full of broken-down keratin, which takes the form of a white paste-like substance.
Trichilemmal cysts
Trichilemmal cysts are similar to epidermal cysts but mostly appear on the scalp and in small clusters. The walls of these cysts are a bit thicker than epidermal cysts, which makes them easier to remove in full.
If your dermatologist even leaves a small piece of the cyst behind while removing it, it can grow back.
Milia
Milia are a cyst that appears on the face around the eyes. They’re small, firm, and white, and they’re common on newborns and infants. Adults may request treatment if they don’t like how the milia look, but milia go away on their own in infants.
Sebaceous cysts
Sebaceous cysts develop within sebaceous glands, usually due to trauma from wounds or surgery. They’re slow-growing and usually appear on the face, neck, and torso.
What is cyst removal?
Cyst removal is a service to remove the cyst professionally, safely, and properly so it doesn’t grow back or get larger. As tempting as it may be to pop a cyst or otherwise remove it yourself, doing so could lead to an infection.
Plus, if you leave any of the cyst behind, it could grow back and any progress you made goes away anyway.
Cyst removal occurs in the Heights Dermatology office and is a simple outpatient procedure. Your provider applies local anesthesia in the area of the cyst to numb your skin and tissues in preparation for the minor surgery. Then, they make an incision over the cyst and remove it in its entirety.
The cyst removal procedures you get at Heights Dermatology are not the same as draining a cyst. Instead, they remove the entire cyst and its walls.
Some cysts are large enough that the incision then requires stitches. Your dermatologist tells you if you need to come back to remove the stitches or if they dissolve on their own.
How should I prepare for cyst removal?
You should make sure to come to your cyst removal appointment at Heights Dermatology clean and with no products on your skin around the cyst. Ahead of the appointment, your dermatologist discusses the size of your cyst with you and any additional considerations you need to make.
For more information about cyst removal procedures, call Heights Dermatology or book online today.
