Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Sporner corner

If you want to see spot squeezing, popping or videos showing the removal of blackheads - this is the place for you.

Original poster

Mother of all sebaceous cysts

79 replies

Wegovypictures · 10/10/2024 12:12

I feel like you are all the only people who I can share this with / will enjoy it

I have had a sebaceous cyst on the back of neck for years with no problem. Suddenly it got infected and grew so alarmingly that I had to have it taken out yesterday under general anaesthetic!

Anyone who knows about cysts knows it's normal a 15 minute local anaesthetic job not a two hour surgery!

Sadly I don't have pictures of what came out of it, but it was about the size of a golf ball when I went in...

My question is if anyone knows the healing time for something like this? I'm off to have the packing removed and it redressed later, as the wound needs to be left open (unstitched) to heal 😬😬😬

Mother of all sebaceous cysts
OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
Carmamma · 21/10/2024 18:59

How is this now op?

Original poster
Wegovypictures · 21/10/2024 22:55

Carmamma · 21/10/2024 18:59

How is this now op?

Hiya, thanks for checking.

It's ok. Still a massive hole that needs packing every other day, but I'm off the heavy painkillers.

I can't believe how long the recovery is though for something so mundane. I think I'll be getting it packed for weeks yet and it's a 2hr round trip to the hospital 😬

OP posts:
Original poster
Wegovypictures · 21/10/2024 22:56

This my picture from today - you can see how much the dressings are irritating my skin Confused

Mother of all sebaceous cysts
OP posts:
AgainandagainandagainSS · 21/10/2024 22:59

OMG ouch OP. That looks horribly painful and must be so draining when you’re trying to sleep, work etc.
And how dare the bastard cyst be in a place where you can’t see it and rely on someone else to take a picture for you!

shentok · 21/10/2024 23:09

Can I ask a stupid question? How come this cannot be stitched?

shrinkingbee · 21/10/2024 23:12

@shentok I was just thinking this?

MoosakaWithFries · 21/10/2024 23:14

I'm surprised that the wound is so big. I would have thought it would be a lot smaller but I'm sure the medical professional knew what they were doing 🤣

How will they close the gap?

buffyfaithspike · 21/10/2024 23:16

My armpit looked very much the same
Unfortunately it didn't heal and I threw a strop and said enough was enough and they did a skin flap on it
I don't heal wounds well anyway but it'll be outside in so take a while. Dressings bother my skin too
Pics added - straight after first op and then after skin flap

Mother of all sebaceous cysts
Mother of all sebaceous cysts
Attelina · 21/10/2024 23:20

I would be getting my husband to close the gap and superglue it together!

That open wound looks very painful!

Ridiculousradish · 21/10/2024 23:23

OP you are so brave! That looks so sore. Do they give you anything to help with the pain when packing it? I'd want gas and air at least!

allthemiddlechildrenoftheworld · 21/10/2024 23:25

@Wegovypictures and look! the wound is smiling at us!!!!😃

Frozensnow · 21/10/2024 23:27

That looks so sore!!!

greenrollneck · 21/10/2024 23:30

I have questions!

How do you sleep? That looks so uncomfortable, also why don't they stitch?

And it looks like a medieval punishment attempt gone wrong!

FabulousPharmacyst · 21/10/2024 23:45

Wowzer. You are very brave and that looks very painful

you could plan a whole Halloween costume around that

Notreallybarbie1 · 21/10/2024 23:56

Has to heal from bottom up or could get reinfected. I had this years ago - but after a few days was able to get it packed and dressed at GP surgery. Hopefully that will become an option for OP - a 2 hour round trip is unsustainable.

User100000000000 · 21/10/2024 23:57

Not that I'm comparing you to a dog OP(!) but when my mum's dog had a gigantic sebaceous growth removed from his chest (over a kilo that grew so bloody fast) they left his would open and whilst it didn't have to be 'packed' they did give my mum some special Manuka honey wound ointment and it healed itself within two weeks, it was magical stuff.
Apparently it's used for human wound treatment as well.

Original poster
Wegovypictures · 21/10/2024 23:59

So many questions you gruesome lot Grin

It can't be stitched as they need to make sure there is no infection left. The packing they do is special material which draws out and absorbs the gunk and promotes healing. So I have to go get it changed regularly to help with that.

I can't bare the thought it won't close though like the armpit one - I don't want any more medical intervention!!!

How I sleep, is badly, but on my side. The packing and dressings oddly help though I guess by making the surface even enough to take some pressure. If I'm on my back I stack my pillows so the back of my head is on one but my neck isn't, if that makes sense

And no, no pain relief when packing though it only takes moments. They literally just pull on piece out (ow), clean the wound then push another piece in (double ow) and put a dressing on

OP posts:
buffyfaithspike · 22/10/2024 00:38

On the plus side it was actually easier once mine wouldn't close, they did it under local, stitches out 10 days later and no more dressings
I really don't heal wounds well though and after 10 months I was DONE

Yours is an easier place though in a way as not sweating or constantly moving which I think is what affected mine

I found low adhesive dressings the best

Mummyofthewildones · 22/10/2024 18:17

Poor you reacting to the dressings! Have they tried a different type?

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 22/10/2024 20:17

My dm had this as well as a friend of mine.
Dm’s was behind her knee and a nurse came to pack the wound. She was in hospital a while with it as she couldn’t walk. I could have easily packed it for her as the nurses struggled. She had a really deep wound.
My friend had his where yours is. He had it packed and this went on for a few months. He’s done now,
Healing vibes for you 💐

MrsPeterHarris · 22/10/2024 21:17

AgainandagainandagainSS · 21/10/2024 22:59

OMG ouch OP. That looks horribly painful and must be so draining when you’re trying to sleep, work etc.
And how dare the bastard cyst be in a place where you can’t see it and rely on someone else to take a picture for you!

I was thinking the exact same! Wishing you the best Op!

MrsPeterHarris · 22/10/2024 21:19

How do these things happen in the first instance?

AgainandagainandagainSS · 22/10/2024 21:20

It honestly looks so painful and horrible that I can't call it a sporner. Not something I would relish in - I just feel sorry for OP.

Original poster
Wegovypictures · 22/10/2024 21:22

Thanks for the sympathy - it is really wearing at times. I'm only two weeks in and the thought if this for months is not fun Sad

OP posts:
LadyGaGasPokerFace · 22/10/2024 23:14

@Wegovypictures oh bless you. At least it’s winter and you can loosely cover it with a scarf. I wear tube scarfs a lot in the winter, no reason apart from my neck gets cold.