Epidermoid cyst, also known as sebaceous cyst, is a common benign lesion that arises from the skin.

Causes:

Epidermoid cysts are due to the growth of epidermal cells within the dermis.

Symptoms and signs:

Epidermoid cysts can have no symptoms. They present as nodules on the skin and slowly grow in size. A punctum may be found on the top of the cyst. They could be painful when they get inflamed or infected. Sometimes white or yellow cheese like foul-smelling materials can be expressed from the cyst. The contents are usually made up of keratin. Sometimes the diagnosis may not be obvious clinically and it can be confirmed with pathological examinations.

Treatments:

Oral antibiotics are needed if epidermoid cysts get infected.
Epidermoid cyst can be removed by excision. It is an office procedure which is done under local anaesthesia. There should be no pain during the surgery.