Infection – the cyst fills with bacteria and pus, and becomes an abscess. If the abscess bursts inside the body, there is a risk of blood poisoning (septicaemia). Peritonitis – if an internal cyst bursts, there is a risk of peritonitis, which is inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal wall.
When a sebaceous cyst ruptures under the skin, it's not usually infected. In most cases, it needs to be drained by a doctor who can lance the cyst. Some physicians prescribe antibiotics to settle the red, painful area of inflammation.
Most cysts are practically impossible to pop by squeezing or picking at them with your fingers. In the process of trying to pop it, you can end up sending bacteria and sebum below the hair follicles. This can cause the materials to spread even further and result in more cysts.
A cyst is a pocket-like area, within tissue, that is not normally there. It can be filled with fluid, blood, tissue, hair, bone, a foreign body, etc. If it is filled with pus, it becomes an abscess. Cysts can occur anywhere on or in your body.
It's not advisable to try draining a cyst or abscess yourself. Cyst popping at home can cause infection. Instead, keep the area clean, and make an appointment with a doctor if the area is painful or starts to drain.
The wound may drain for the first 2 days. Cover the opening with a clean dry bandage. If the dressing becomes soaked with blood or pus, change it. If a gauze packing was placed inside the opening of the cyst, it will need to be removed.
Do not squeeze the cyst or poke it with a needle to open it. This can cause swelling, redness, and infection. Always have a doctor look at any new lumps you get to make sure that they are not serious.
If the cyst bleeds, it is called a hemorrhagic (say "heh-muh-RA-jick") ovarian cyst. If a hemorrhagic cyst breaks open, it can release blood and fluid into the lower belly and pelvis. You may not have symptoms from the cyst. But if it is large, or if it twists or breaks open, you may have pain or other problems.
Never try to burst and drain the cyst yourself. That could spread an infection and the cyst could grow back. Keep an eye out for signs of infection.
Cysts can feel tender to the touch, and a person may be able to move one easily. Tumors can also grow almost anywhere in the body. They tend to grow quickly and are usually firm to the touch.
People can keep a cyst and the area around it clean at home by washing it with a clean cloth, cotton wool, or medical dressing material. Bathe the cyst gently with clean, warm water, and then dab it dry.
The cysts usually contain keratin, lipid, and other skin particles. Cysts can remain stable or they may steadily grow. Sometimes they will become inflamed or suddenly break open (rupture). This poses a risk for infection.
Epidermal cysts are filled with dead skin cells, while true sebaceous cysts are filled with yellowish oily material. (A true sebaceous cyst is called a steatocystoma.)
The keratin they secrete accumulates in the center of the cavity, as a dense yellowish paste. If the cyst breaks or is squeezed it will ooze keratin.
Removing the core of a boil is an outpatient procedure that requires a local anesthetic. Once the boil and surrounding area are numb, the doctor will cut a small incision in the boil. The incision allows some of the pus to drain out. A doctor may then insert gauze into the incision to help drain any additional pus.
Cysts feel like soft blisters when they are close to the skin's surface, but they can feel like hard lumps when they develop deeper beneath the skin. A hard cyst near to the surface of the skin usually contains trapped dead skin cells or proteins.
Treatment for a skin cyst from a GP
Cysts can be removed at some GP surgeries who offer this service. If your surgery does not offer minor surgery facilities, you may be referred to a specialist, or you could pay for private treatment. During a cyst removal, a local anaesthetic is used to numb the skin.