A pilar cyst, also known as an epidermoid cyst, results from a blocked hair follicle. They can appear anywhere on your body, but the scalp is typically where people first see them. Pilar cysts are sometimes a nuisance, although they generally are not harmful to a person’s health.
What is a pilar cyst?
Pilar cysts are noncancerous cysts that develop from your hair follicles. They are relatively uncommon. The scalp is the most common location where pilar cysts manifest, but they can also appear on the face, neck, arms, and legs. There are other names for pilar cysts, including trichilemmal cysts and wens. In most cases, trichilemmal cysts do not cause any discomfort. However, it can be excruciating if they burst on their own, if you try to pop them, or if they start to push down on your skull. Surgery is the method of choice for removing cysts by medical professionals.
Pilar cyst causes and risk factors
When dead skin cells and keratin accumulate just below an individual’s skin surface, they form Pilar cysts. Your body is constantly replacing dead skin cells with new ones while producing new ones. In most cases, dead skin cells cease dividing and eventually fall off the surface of your skin. However, sometimes they get stuck beneath the epidermis, often known as the top layer of your skin, where they multiply. At the same time, your scalp produces keratin, a protein used to grow cells for your skin, hair, and nails.
When cysts like this push up on your outer skin, you might first detect that you have cysts. Keratin is a protein that helps maintain the elasticity and strength of skin and hair. When keratin cells die, they typically travel to the skin’s surface, where they either fall off or are washed away by the body’s natural processes. If, on the other hand, these cells migrate deeper into the skin, they have the potential to increase and develop into a pilar cyst. The keratin inside of a cyst looks like a thick sludge that is either white or yellow.
Can Pilar Cysts run in the family?
Pilar cysts are hereditary, which means that a predisposition to developing these cysts can pass down through families. If both of a child’s parents have the ailment, there is a 50 percent probability that the child will also have the condition. In addition, women are more likely to be affected by pilar cysts than males are. They can afflict persons of all different racial and ethnic groups, although middle-aged adults are typically the ones who are diagnosed with them. It does not appear that any risk factors contribute to pilar cysts. On the other hand, an individual with damaged hair follicles or injured skin may have a greater likelihood of developing them.
What are the symptoms of a pilar cyst?
These are the typical symptoms of a pilar cyst:
- A tone equivalent to your own spherical or domed
- Having a solid but silky feel, painless
- Sizes might be anything from a pea to a baseball.
- The presence of fixed tumors beneath the skin
An infection of a pilar cyst can cause other symptoms.
- A rash
- Discomfort from cyst inflammation and/or pain
- The presence of a thick, odorous fluid leaking from the cyst
- Discoloration or flushing
Who gets pillar cyst?
Growths known as pilar cysts are relatively frequent, affecting between 5 and 10 percent of the population. Those destined to be female at birth are more likely to have the condition, although everybody is at risk. It also appears that younger people are more vulnerable than elderly persons. However, Pilar cysts can run in families, so if you have a history of them on your own, you might be at a higher risk. It needs to be clarified why that is.
How to identify a pilar cyst?
A cyst appears as a tiny, dome-shaped, or circular lump. There are cases of pilar cysts that are white or yellow. The average size of a pilar cyst is between 1 and 5 centimeters (cm). Due to their slow development, pilar cysts sometimes go undetected until they have reached a specific size. Pilar cysts are easily recognized because of their characteristic scalp position. Hair follicles are where they form. A strand is a cluster of cells that wraps around a single hair and acts as a protective sheath.
Most pilar cysts develop on the scalp because that’s where there’s the most hair. The cystic lump may be simpler to detect because it does not support hair growth. Also, unlike other cysts, this variety does not have a central dark spot. Pilar cysts have thicker, more resilient skin than epidermoid cysts.
Under the microscope, a pillar cyst is also simple for a doctor to identify. Keratin, abundant in skin and hair cells, would form a coating for an epidermoid cyst, while a pilar cyst would be covered in dead skin cells. It’s common for someone to deal with multiple pilar cysts simultaneously.
What do pilar cysts feel like?
When you touch a pillar cyst, it will be substantial. A cyst’s fluid contents mean that it may wiggle somewhat under pressure. If you press on a cyst too firmly, you could feel discomfort. An infected cyst may turn red and painful. Pilocytic keratoses have a thick layer of skin that protects them from rupture. However, a brush or comb can remove cysts from the scalp. This can lead to a skin tear and the possible release of pus from the cyst. You might not detect a pilar cyst at first because of how slowly it develops. However, they can reach sizes comparable to a baseball in some cases. These cysts are harmless and won’t cause discomfort, but a noticeable one could leave you less confident.
Pilar Cyst Concerns
Unavoidable. There is currently no known method by which doctors can stop cysts from forming. A pilar cyst of the scalp can appear anywhere on the scalp at any time.
Safe, yet can be a nuisance at times. A pilar cyst on your scalp is not malignant and will not harm your health in most cases. Pilar cysts are typically harmless but can become inflamed if you scratch or rub them. In addition, because it is on your scalp, you may accidentally brush or comb over your pilar cyst.
Infection is a real possibility. For example, if you have pilar cysts on your scalp, they can become infectious and painful if they burst. In such a case, bacteria can enter the bloodstream through the wound and produce flu-like symptoms. Without medical intervention, infections can rapidly worsen, necessitating a topical or oral antibiotic.
Infected pilar cysts typically present with the following symptoms:
- Discomfort caused by the cyst itself or its proximity
- The cyst is spewing a thick, viscous fluid.
- The leaking liquid has a foul odor.
- Puffiness, redness, or inflammation
Consult a medical professional immediately if you experience any of these signs.
Preventing infection and subsequent scarring requires avoiding the following:
- Compressing the cyst
- Intentionally trying to “pop” it and release the liquid
- By inserting a needle into it
- Taking matters into your own hands and surgically removing the cyst
Diagnosing a Pilar Cyst
Sometimes, a doctor can diagnose a pilar cyst only by looking at it. However, your doctor must rule out other health concerns because pilar cysts can mimic other skin disorders. They will ask about your symptoms and may get a biopsy of the pilar cyst to look over further. Symptoms of pilar cysts can be compared to those of more common conditions to help you make a diagnosis. However, it would be best for you to verify this with your doctor.
It is common practice for a doctor to examine your scalp while diagnosing. They might also prescribe laboratory procedures like: If there is growth, the doctor will likely do an MRI, ultrasound, or CT scan to rule out any connection to the central nervous system.
• CT scan:
This scan employs X-rays to produce images of the body’s internal structures. Your cyst’s development can be monitored as well. For this reason, it is commonly used to check for the presence of bone within the growth.
• MRI scan:
Internal body images can be captured with an MRI scan, which employs a combination of magnetic fields and radio waves to do imaging. The depth to which the cyst penetrated the soft tissue can be ascertained.
• Skin biopsy:
A skin biopsy includes removing a small piece of the affected skin to examine it under a microscope. It can determine whether or not your cyst is malignant. As a result, a biopsy of a pilar cyst is rarely performed.
Treating a Pilar Cyst on the Scalp
1. Self-healing
There is a chance that a pilar cyst on your scalp will disappear without treatment. However, remember that the cyst is just as slow to shrink as it grows. This is especially true if it’s big and a lot of fluid needs to drain.
You can discuss more aggressive treatment choices with your doctor if you’d prefer not to wait for the pilar cyst on your scalp to decrease.
2. Removal of a cyst
As a rule, pilar cysts are harmless but can be painful and annoying when brushing hair. To get rid of a pilar cyst, your doctor will need to cut it open, drain the fluid, and remove the cyst wall, all as an outpatient procedure.
Pilar cyst removal
Because pilar cysts develop on the scalp, snagging one while getting dressed or brushing the hair can be uncomfortable. It is possible to surgically remove a cyst if it is causing the patient pain. Before a cyst can be surgically removed, a patient must first be numbed with a local anesthetic.
They can be eliminated in one of two ways:
• Creating a tiny incision in the skin to release fluid from the cyst
• Full cyst excision without incision
The treatment typically takes up to a day, and a hospital or clinic stay is unnecessary. After having the cyst removed, a doctor would often apply a dressing. In most cases, you should avoid touching the injured region and keep the sauce dry.
How can you prevent pilar cysts?
Though you can’t stop pilar cysts from forming, you can lessen the risk of infection if they do. Cut or scrape them gently instead. If they burst on their own, apply a gauze pad and visit your doctor.
FAQS
Can you pop a pilar cyst?
Scratching, popping, or picking at a cyst might cause it to get infected. There is a risk of infection if you do it. People should always wash their hands before contacting the region. Cyst removal is a medical procedure that a trained medical professional should only attempt.
Can a pilar cyst be avoided?
A pilar cyst cannot be avoided. However, after surgery, it may be possible to prevent a recurrence. If the doctor removes the cyst rather than draining it, it is less likely to recur.
Does It Hurt When a Cyst Is Removed?
If you can take the slight discomfort of a shot, you can do it when it comes to cyst removal. Before injecting Lidocaine into the cyst, the doctor applies a topical anesthetic. That mild sting is the worst of it, though. Afterward, you won’t be aware of the operation at all.
How long does it take for a pilar cyst to heal after surgery?
If stitches were used to close the wound, full recovery could take up to four weeks. Healing time for an open incision might range from a few weeks to several months. There will be a scar where the cyst was removed after the incision has healed. Eventually, this will soften and vanish.
Can you get rid of them on your own?
Cysts should never be popped or burst on your own, as this might cause serious complications. In addition, taking part in these activities may raise your chance of contracting an infection. It’s also vital to realize that the skin of a cyst is typically very thick, making it difficult to pop or burst the cyst. If your symptoms worry you, could you make an appointment with your doctor?
Conclusion
A pilar cyst typically develops close to a hair follicle on the scalp. They pose no health risks and are not contagious. However, when infected, they can be rather painful. Usually, a doctor will prescribe some medication in this scenario. They can sometimes progress into a tumor, but this is quite unusual. Yet, in most cases, it is not malignant. Multiple pilar cysts can exist at once and go away and come back at different times. The most asymptomatic and can be left alone to heal. A doctor can surgically remove a cyst if necessary. However, the cyst can return to the same spot, even for new cysts to form.
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