This is a very common condition, and one of the most common problems that patients seek our help. A sebaceous cyst is a rounded swelling found underneath the skin over all hair bearing areas. It is especially common over the scalp and for men, the scrotum. It is not a tumour, though it may gradually increase in size. It is mostly painless unless it is infected.
It is also called an epidermal cyst, since it arises from the epidermis of the skin. Epidermis is the waterproof layer of our skin.
For most people, the cyst would not cause any symptoms. The person merely notices a painless lump underneath the skin. The lump may grow in size over time.
However when it is infected, it can be painful with redness and warmth of the overlying skin. Occasionally, a greyish-white cheese-like material may be seen discharging from the swelling. If the infection is serious, the entire lump may turn into an abscess, which can be extremely painful.
The doctor is usually able to clinch the diagnosis with just history taking and physical examination. Usually, no scans are needed. This is because a sebaceous cyst has some unique characteristics such as a bluish discolouration and the presence of a black pit in the centre. This pit is also called a punctum.
Soft and hard sebaceous cysts are benign and can be left alone. Sebaceous cyst does not become a cancer. Furthermore, most sebaceous cysts do not cause any symptoms. However, for the cysts that do cause problems or if the patient desires to treat it, sebaceous cyst removal through surgery is the definitive treatment. Surgery can be done as a simple day-surgery procedure under local anaesthesia.
When a swelling is acutely inflamed and infected, a course of antibiotics may be prescribed first to allow the inflammation to settle before surgery is performed. If the infection is very bad, the surgeon may do a simple procedure to allow the pus to be released first, and then follow-up with the definitive operation to remove the cyst when the infection has subsided. You should therefore see your doctor if your sebaceous cyst becomes acutely red, swollen and painful.
If you are not sure regarding the nature of a lump you noticed in your body, you should see a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis. This is especially important if the lump grows progressively bigger.
It is formed when the sebaceous gland that is found together with a hair follicle is blocked up by debris. The normal function of the sebaceous gland is to secrete sebum, which is an oily fluid so as to lubricate the skin and protect from dehydration.
Colorectal & General Surgeon
Upper Gastrointestinal, Bariatric & General Surgeon
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Our clinics will be closed from 16 – 18 Feb for CNY
Our clinic at Mt Alvernia Medical Centre A will be relocating from #06-05 to #03-03 (within the same building) on Friday, 26 Sep afternoon.
Our telephone line 6353 4855 will be temporarily unavailable from 12:00pm – 6:00pm on 26 September. During this period, you may reach out to our other clinics for assistance:
We will begin operations at our new premises (#03-03) from Tuesday, 30 Sep onwards.
We look forward to serving you at our new clinic!
Nexus Surgical clinics at Mt Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre, Gleneagles Medical Centre, Parkway East Medical Centre and Mt Alvernia Medical Centre will be closed on 28 January 2025 for Lunar New Year celebrations, while our clinic at Mt Elizabeth Orchard Medical Centre remains open from 0900-1300 hours on 28 January 2025.
Please leave a message in our voice mails and we will respond to you as soon as we can when we resume our clinics on 31 January 2025. If you require any urgent assistance, kindly go to the Urgent Care Centre of any hospitals or contact your doctor through the Emergency Answering Service. Our team at Nexus Surgical would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your loved ones a Happy & Prosperous Lunar New Year with good health in the Year of the Snake!
Nexus Surgical will be away from 17 to 20 October 2024 for our Annual Company Retreat. The aim of our retreat is to review and to recharge, so that we may serve you better.
Our clinics at Mount Elizabeth Orchard, Mount Elizabeth Novena, Mount Alvernia and Parkway East hospitals will therefore be closed during this period. In the meantime, if you require any urgent assistance, kindly contact us through our Answering Service at +65 6333 5550.
We thank you for your understanding and patience for any inconvenience.
