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Original poster

Anyone had a sebaceous cyst removed?

27 replies

Shufflebumnessie · 13/02/2019 10:19

Just back from the doctors as I have a lump on my shoulder that's recently got a bit bigger and is feeling sore/tender.
The doctor said it's a sebaceous cyst and that I can either leave it or have it removed in a simple procedure at the surgery.

I know removal will leave a scar and I'm really not bothered by that. I'm leaning towards having it removed but just thought I'd ask on here to see if anyone has had a similar experience.

Any advice? If you've had one removed, would you recommend it?

OP posts:
cantfindname · 13/02/2019 10:41

Yes, have it removed. Takes about ten minutes and is painless. If you leave it and knock it then it might burst under the skin and turn into an abscess, which is what happened to me.

Mushroomsarehorrible · 13/02/2019 11:18

I had one removed from my neck, it was quite big and v sore. I was put under GA and the op was fine. I did have to return to the hospital daily so that they could 'pack' the wound, which I have to admit was a painful experience. I only did this for about 10 days and it healed v quickly. Not sure if this is usual practice now as this was about 7 years ago. Good luck

PeterPiperPickedWrong · 13/02/2019 11:59

Our Dr removes them at the surgery, the local anaesthetic stings a bit but it’s really quick to remove them, back a week later to have the stitches removed, tiny scar. Better to get rid of it & have the whole sac removed than to have it keep coming back and being sore. It is a very simple procedure. Go for it.

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PeterPiperPickedWrong · 13/02/2019 12:02

Mushroom I imagine yours was massive and in a risky area if you needed GA and the wound packing. Sounds painful.
shuffle said the dr would remove at the surgery so it won’t, thankfully, be anything like your experience.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 13/02/2019 12:10

I had one removed from my scalp because it was painful when I brushed my hair. It was done at the GP surgery and took a bit longer than expected as the root spread much further than the lump. I ended up with a nearly 3 inch incision when I was expecting a 1 inch one. It healed really well and there is a barely noticeable shallow dent in my scalp but I can't see a scar even when I part my hair and look for it.

legolimb · 13/02/2019 12:14

Ah! I have one on my shoulder too.

It started off as just a small lump -but a few weeks ago became very swollen and red. Painful to touch.

I saw the nurse and she prescribed me a weeks' worth of antibiotics resulting in a nice case of thrush which took down the inflammation somewhat.

I now have an appointment with the doctor who does surgery at our practice to check it out and see what can be done. I will happily report back afterwards.

Probably best to get it out as I left mine and the pain when it became infected was awful. I still can't wear a bra properly - am in sports bras most days to ease the pressure on my shoulder.

poglets · 13/02/2019 17:33

Yes, absolutely no reason not to have it taken out. The operation is quick and pretty painless.

Kenworthington · 13/02/2019 17:38

Yes. On my bloody fanny! When I was 19, the locum doctor did it. And he was young and hot. I still die a little inside when I think of it. It was physically painless though! It looked like lumps of gravel btw. Weird as

Original poster
Shufflebumnessie · 13/02/2019 20:52

Thanks everyone. I'm going to make an appointment to see about having it removed.
@Lego good luck with your appointment. I'd definitely be interested in hearing how you get on if you're happy to share.

OP posts:
percheron67 · 13/02/2019 21:01

I had one removed from my scalp two years ago. Done at Doctor's surgery. Pain free (local jabs) and healed well. Wish I had had it done earlier!

buzzing · 13/02/2019 21:29

I have a huge ( 1cm diameter) one right on the top of my head. Hate it at it shows in my parting, and the hair that grows out of it is all frizzy. But when I last went to the doctors about it they told me they don’t remove them any more.

Do I need to go back with my big girl pants on?

toomuchprosecco · 13/02/2019 21:43

I had a few removed many years ago from my head, my gp did them under local at the surgery.
I've got a pretty big one on my head now, it's been there for a while but when I was at the docs last week asked to have it removed and was told they don't do them any more . but I can pay the nhs about £300 to have it taken out!
they now class it as cosmetic, so I'm left with a rather large itchy bump on my head I can afford to remove!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 13/02/2019 21:46

I’ve had one removed from my back a few years ago, and one from my scalp a few weeks ago. Loads of blood with the scalp one, but it’s an easy procedure.

sparkle789 · 13/02/2019 21:56

I’ve had 3 removed from my scalp. They
Won’t do them just for cosmetic reasons but as mine were painful they could remove them.

I had it done at the Drs surgery. It felt a bit odd when the LA went in but other than that it was fine, a very quick procedure.

IndigoSpritz · 13/02/2019 22:04

Yes, about twenty five years ago. It was on my back and about the size of a five pence piece. It wasn't bothering me at all but the doctor saw it when he had his stethoscope on my back and said it should be removed. He practically insisted and he did the job about a week later in the GP surgery. One anaesthetic injection and a swift removal plus a few stitches. Took about fifteen minutes. The nurse took the stitches out about a week later.

Nae bother.

whitehorsesdonotlie · 13/02/2019 22:05

I had one on my neck done at the gp surgery a few years ago under local. Went very well.

Arkos · 13/02/2019 22:08

Had one removed from under my eye brow years ago. It was under plastic surgery I think because of the risk of scarring. I can't even see where it was. The cyst was the size of a mini egg. Had to go to hospital to get it done

DianaPrincessOfThemyscira · 13/02/2019 22:17

Yes I had about six MASSIVE ones removed from my scalp a couple of years ago. I had one the size of a marble right at my hairline, it was beginning to look like unicorn horn!

I had my done as minor surgery at my GP office, it was totally fine. Couple of stingy injections and some horrible tugging feeling (although not painful) and it was done. Definitely do it.

I almost didn't have mine done as I was worried I'd have a bald patch right at the front, but as I have masses of hair it actually wasn't a problem!

HenriettaWasSoHappy · 13/02/2019 22:23

I had one for years on my back (under bra strap) so I couldn’t see it or reach it. Didn’t bother me for years but then it flared up and to cut a long story short I ended up on antibiotics for over a month. It healed slightly but didn’t clear. GP said it needed to come out. Ended up having 12 stitches. Really really wish I’d had it removed before it got infected because then it would’ve been less painful and a much smaller scar.

My friend had a few removed from her scalp and is so glad she did.

Andromeida59 · 13/02/2019 23:22

I had one on my groin. I stayed in hospital over night and had it removed and packed the next day. I then had a health visitor come out to see me. It was uncomfortable but needed doing (it was 10cm deep approx). Get it done OP, you'll be fine.

Celticrose · 13/02/2019 23:32

I had one removed at the hospital under a local anesthetic. After I had had 3 abscesses. Very simple wish I had had it removed after the first as they were very painful and needed dressed each day along with the antibiotics (I did not go to the GP with the first and was left with a large lump on my shoulder which reduced after the 2nd with treatment. The surgeon told there was a small chance it would return but so far so good. It has been a least 5 years now.

Sorka · 14/02/2019 00:57

I had a small one removed from my scalp a few years ago. It was painless. I haven’t noticed a scar but it was under my hair and slightly up and behind my ear, so I wouldn’t be able to see one. The only uncomfortable thing was the stitches as I sleep on that side and also had to be careful when combing my hair.

The first doctor I saw shouted at me and gave me a sanctimonious lecture about how the NHS is not there for cosmetic surgery.

The second doctor immediately said It needed to come out as it was catching constantly and would have ended up getting infected.

I didn’t know about the risk of abscess so I’m now even more glad I persisted.

Prevention is better than cure NHS!

Sorka · 14/02/2019 00:58

I was also told it’s better to do it when they’re small, as it’s easier to get the whole sac which makes them much less likely to come back.

MerryMarigold · 14/02/2019 01:10

I have one in the.middle of my shoulders at base of neck. It's been there about 18 years. One it got infected and finally burst after 3 courses of antibiotics. I had to visit the nurse every other day to have it cleaned and dressed. But the NHS won't remove it because it's 'cosmetic'. I need to find 800.00 of my own money.

So suffice to say. You're lucky. Go for it!

AuntieOxident · 14/02/2019 01:30

I saw one being removed on the TV programme GPS Behind Closed Doors, in a dr’s surgery. It was on a young guy’s head and was about 2 cm in diameter, so quite big.
I was surprised that it was actually a soIid lump of matter about the size of a small marble under the skin. It didn’t seem to hurt after the anasthaetic was injected but it had to be cut out quite carefully.( I had imagined that once the skin was incised it would just pop out.)
Fascinating in a weird sort of way.