Don't squeeze hard little lumps on your skin! They are prone to recurrence and leave scars

Many people like to scratch their skin when they have nothing to do.

Squeeze out some blackheads here.

Soothe acne

There is an inexplicable sense of refreshment

But sometimes I suddenly touch

A hard lump

Looks like this

Image source: Wikimedia

Not too big or too small, not itchy or painful

Just stubbornly go to that swelling

It took a long time to disappear

What the hell is this?

This hard little bag is an epidermal cyst, also called a cyst, and sometimes it is called a sebaceous cyst.

Once the opening of the hair follicle is blocked due to some unexpected reasons, the renewed skin keratin cannot be discharged and slowly accumulates in the skin , forming these lumps.

When you open it, it looks like the lipids secreted by the sebaceous glands, but it is actually softened keratin.

Image source: Photo Network

**Epidermal cysts are not serious, but they are a little annoying. **In most cases, it is just a small lump and there is no other feeling.

Apart from being a bit unsightly and looking like a "tumor", epidermal cysts can almost coexist peacefully with you . You may feel annoyed by it but you can't get rid of it, and it will stick with you for weeks or even months.

As for the worry that it may turn into a malignant tumor, that is completely unnecessary, as this is still very rare. Although it looks a bit "ferocious", it is mostly benign.

As long as you don't feel anything and there are no sudden changes, you don't have to worry about it.

The biggest risk of epidermal cysts is the possibility of repeated infection. If redness, swelling, heat and pain occur repeatedly, medical means will be needed to solve it. Commonly used methods include surgical excision, cyst fenestration, etc. The doctor will choose for the patient based on the different shapes, sizes and depths of the skin lesions.

Image source: Photo Network

So where does this mysterious cyst come from?

To be honest, the specific cause is still unclear. Some say it is related to the epidermis being implanted into the dermis due to trauma, while others say it is related to genetic skin development patterns. However, many people who pay attention to skin care and have good skin condition have also had epidermal cysts.

What can we do? It’s hard to prevent. If we encounter it, we can only think of ways to deal with it as properly as possible.

Don’t squeeze in. Most people who have squeezed in regret it.

I squeezed it for a long time, grimacing in pain, but I still might not be able to squeeze it out.

What’s more painful is that if it is squeezed, it is likely to have some side effects:

1. It is easy to get infected , leading to abscesses and ulcers in the affected area. Repeated rupture and infection may leave scars;

2. It is easy to relapse . After the epidermal cyst is squeezed, only the contents inside will be squeezed out, but the cyst wall that produces keratin is still there, constantly secreting new waste keratin, the problem still exists, and it is only a temporary solution and not a fundamental solution.

Although epidermal cysts themselves are not very harmful, they are a bit troublesome to deal with, and it is generally not recommended to deal with them yourself.

The correct way to handle this is:

**1. If the epidermal cyst is relatively small: **No changes, no pain, follow-up observation is possible;

**2. If the epidermal cyst is large or infected: **Seek medical attention promptly and have the cyst completely removed surgically or have a cyst window opened.

To sum up, either ignore it or don't take care of it yourself and find a doctor to deal with it.

I would like to remind everyone that it is not only recommended not to squeeze epidermal cysts, but it is also best not to squeeze other small things growing on the skin, such as steatocystoma, soft fibroma, etc.

If someone doesn't make a sound when you squeeze him, it may not be a big problem, but it will cause trouble if you squeeze him.

The armpit is a special area and is one of the main distribution areas of the lymphatic system.

If you have a lump, it may be an epidermal cyst, swollen lymph node, or what we often call a skin tag (soft fibroma).

In comparison, swollen lymph nodes feel softer and more pliable , and are usually oval in shape;

**Epidermal cysts often have an opening on the surface, ** but lymphadenopathy does not;

**Epidermal cysts are difficult to move, ** but enlarged lymph nodes can be moved.

If you have no experience and are not sure, it is better to see a doctor instead of scaring yourself.

When hearing about swollen lymph nodes, many people are very scared, always thinking that it is a tumor knocking on the door.

In fact, **any activity of the immune system recently may cause swollen lymph nodes,**such as recent infection, inflammation, vaccination, etc. in the upper limbs.

In most cases, swollen lymph nodes are temporary, but if they do not go away for several weeks, if they become larger, if they become irregular in shape, or if they rupture , you should go to the hospital for a check-up as soon as possible.

In short, problems like epidermal cysts are generally not a big deal. You only need to worry if the symptoms worsen or make you feel uncomfortable.

We don't need to worry too much, we just need to be a little careful and stay concerned.

Statement: This article is a medical-related educational popular science article. It does not involve specific treatment methods or medical behaviors and cannot replace hospital visits.

Experts who reviewed this article

References

[1] Yang Yi, Zhang Lichao, Yang Jun, et al. Clinical and pathological analysis of 1007 cases of epidermal cysts[J]. Chinese Journal of Leprosy and Skin Diseases, 2019, 35(04): 197-200.

[2] Ma Renyan, Luo Dan, Xu Yang. Epidermal cyst combined with seborrheic keratosis[J]. Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2019, 48(09): 526-527. DOI: 10.16761/j.cnki.1000-4963.2019.09.002.

[3] Wang Zhipeng. X-ray, CT and MRI diagnosis of epidermal cysts[J]. World Latest Medical Information Abstracts, 2016, 16(02): 175-176.

Content Production

Editor: Zhang Fuyao

Map: Eastern Zhou Dynasty