If you had a lump/cyst/??/that's been there for years,would you get it checked out?

[cutekids]

I have had a cyst/lump/whatever for years at the top of my back. My Mum-this sounds really sick I know-used to be able to squeeze it for me and "empty" all the horrible stuff out of it for me but it never completely went down. When I asked my then boyfriend now hubbie once if he could do it for me...I do his!...he flatly refused. Anyway,the past couple of years I've noticed it can get very,very itchy and my kids have noticed it and asked me what it is etc.It's much bigger than it used to be and doesn't seem to have anywhere now that you could even think of squeezing it.(sorry if it's making you feel sick!).Even my Mum...who's always been evil when it comes to squeezing spots etc...shuddered when she saw it and said she didn't want to touch it cos "it's rock hard now".I feel like i'm making trouble for myself and causing my family an inconvenience if I go to the Doc's as no doubt they'd probably want me to have it removed or something. Should I just leave it?

it sounds like its a sebaceous cyst. was the horrible stuff really cheesy rathe rthan liquid pus with a spot?

if it is a cyst then you only need to have it removed if it becomes infected (red hot swollen painful)

some people want them removed for cosmetic purposes but you don't need to.

sure the gp wont mind confirming if it is a sebaceous (or epidermoid) cyst

hope this helps

Thanks Luvaduck
Yes it was horrible smelly stuff when it used to come out. Like I said, it's a long time ago that it was actually "emptied".Sorry to sound so yucky!!!