So, I seem to be susceptible to sebaceous cysts. I’ve had a couple taken off by docs, and one went away after antibiotics. No big deal, normally. Just something I have to live with.
Until this one. Went from a little bump on my neck to a great swollen lump, about the size of a quarter in diameter, all in the space of about a week… Hurts like crazy. Red and swollen.
Went to the doc and he prescribed antibiotics, and then told me to arrange to come back as soon as possible in regular hours to have it drained. And then, probably will need to have the carcass removed by a plastic surgeon.
Was driving back from grocery shopping with the Cub today, and I told him about it. Showed it to him. He reached over and very delicately pulled my shirt collar up to cover it. “I don’t want it to squirt me”, he explained.
So, Northern Piper, can we expect to see you on Dr, Pimple Popper?
Videos like that puzzle me. I’m scared of needles, yet I watch Dr. Lee’s show. and videos on Youtube of people squeezing stuff. For those I prefer the amatuers.
Oh yes, Broomstick does have the good cyst stories.
Had a bunch of these. Several of them needed surgical removal because they had would form a lump just under the skin and then through a narrow passage another one further in that wouldn’t drain. So I have a variety of scars and drain holes on my body. At one time my insurance wouldn’t cover skin cysts anymore as a pre-existing condition. I guess some people only get one of these in their life but when you hear about them it’s from people who keep getting them.
Time after time, after time, Dr Lee has patients who come to her in desperation. A GP or a Primary Care dr tells them, “Oh, that’s benign. It will go away.”
If you are on Medicare, you don’t need a referral. Go to a dermatologist. A good one will drain your cysts and remove the cyst sac so it won’t come back. A good skin doc has an arsenal of treatments if yours is a chronic condition.
Thanks, different medicare - I’m in Canada. MY GP will handle the draining for immediate relief, then refer to plastic surgeon for the removal.
GP isn’t saying no to draining; just that he thinks that in a week’s time, it will require less cutting to drain, which he would prefer; less chance of scarring.
My experience has been the docs have a preference for a course of antibiotics first, THEN do the draining/cutting. Except for emergency situations where, of course, they’ll go in first. But for me it was abscesses, which are infections, rather than cysts, which may not involve infection. Basically, I’m not a doctor, I’m not you, I’m not giving medical advice just telling my own story, and if you have a problem seek an actual medical professional.
Here is a link to the beginning (because it wound up being multi-part) to Broomstick’s Most Epic Abscess Story. It’s not the only one, just the biggest.