What is Epidermoid Cyst Treatment?

An epidermoid cyst, sometimes called a sebaceous cyst, is a small sac beneath the skin lined with cells similar to the skin surface. These cells shed keratin into the sac, which gradually fills and forms a round, movable lump. Cysts often have a tiny dark opening on top and are common on the face, neck, behind the ears, back and chest. They are usually harmless, but they can rupture or become inflamed, causing redness, pain and swelling. Squeezing a cyst tends to worsen inflammation and scarring.

Who it's for

An evaluation is helpful if you have:

• A firm, round lump under the skin that has slowly enlarged
• A small central pore or blackhead over the lump
• Recurrent swelling, redness or tenderness in the same spot
• Discharge with a cheesy texture or unpleasant odor
• A lump that grows rapidly, feels hard and fixed, or is painful without clear cause, which should be seen promptly

How we treat it at Egg Clinic

A dermatologist first examines the lump to confirm it is an epidermoid cyst and to rule out other growths such as a lipoma or other lesions. Ultrasound or further testing may be suggested if the diagnosis is unclear.

How we treat it depends on whether the cyst is inflamed. An inflamed cyst is usually calmed first, with a steroid injection into the cyst, drainage when needed, and sometimes oral antibiotics. Removing a cyst while it is actively inflamed is harder and raises the chance of recurrence, so surgery is often scheduled after it settles.

For a quiet cyst, surgical excision removes the entire sac wall, which is the part responsible for regrowth. Depending on the size and location, the physician may use a small punch or minimal-incision technique to keep the scar as small as possible, followed by fine stitches.

What to expect

At your visit, the physician will explain the plan and possible scarring. The area is numbed with a local anesthetic injection, so you should feel pressure rather than sharp pain during removal, which typically takes 20 to 40 minutes. Afterwards, a dressing is applied. Mild pain, bruising, swelling or a small amount of bleeding can occur for a few days. Stitches are usually removed within about one to two weeks, depending on the site. The scar tends to fade gradually over several months, although results vary and recurrence is still possible.

Aftercare

• Keep the dressing clean and dry for the first 24–48 hours, or as instructed
• Avoid heavy exercise, alcohol and saunas until stitches are removed
• Do not pull at stitches or scratch the wound
• Return for suture removal and a wound check on the scheduled date
• Protect the healing scar from the sun and use scar care products if recommended
• Contact us if you notice increasing pain, warmth, pus or fever

Frequently asked questions

Can I just squeeze the cyst?

We advise against it. Squeezing can rupture the sac under the skin, trigger inflammation and make later removal and scarring worse.

Will there be a scar?

Any excision leaves a small scar. We use techniques that keep the incision as small as practical, and most scars soften and fade over time.

Why did my cyst come back?

Cysts tend to return if part of the sac wall remains. Removing the full wall once inflammation has settled may help lower that chance.

Visit Egg Clinic in Sinsa

Egg Clinic is located at 613 Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul (3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th floors), directly in front of Sinsa Station Exit 5 on Line 3. We are open weekdays 11:00–20:30 and Saturday and Sunday 11:00–17:00, with a lunch break from 14:00 to 15:00. To book a consultation, call +82-2-542-5540, email eggclinic1@gmail.com, or message us on WhatsApp or KakaoTalk.