Conditions : Medical Dermatology

Cysts

A cyst is a collection of material (usually white, cheesy, or firm) contained in a cyst wall and which grow in the upper layer of the skin. There are several different kinds of cysts. They can occur on any skin surface, but are most common on the face, neck, scalp, chest and back. A cyst may be totally asymptomatic, or it may hurt when touched. It can also release pus.
They do not have to be removed unless they are cosmetically unacceptable or if they get irritated, inflamed or infected. An infected cyst is red, swollen, painful and sometimes extruding pus, and can be treated with antibiotics and then removed when it is not inflamed.