If you have a cutaneous cyst you’d like removed, book a consultation or surgery date now.
We offer rapid access for consultation and short waitlist for surgery.
If you have a referral from your family physician, the consultation fee ($150 + HST) will be waived.
How do I treat cysts?
What does a cyst removal entail?
What is the recovery time?
Is there a cost?
How do I book my surgery?
Cyst Removal
What is a cutaneous cyst?
A cyst is sac that is filled with either fluid or solid mass. Other names that you may have heard this also referred to as may be a sebaceous cyst or inclusion cyst.
These occur when skin cells get trapped underneath the skin and continue to grow and form a sac of dead skin.
What are the symptoms?
Most patients will feel a firm nodule that is mobile. It is usually asymptomatic, but some of these may become infected and require to be drained.
Some patients also report that cheesy curd-like material can be squeezed from the cyst. These are dead cells that have been trapped in the cyst.
For most my patients, no treatment is required and these are completely benign.
Some patients will have these cysts frequently infected. After three infections, I often recommend having these removed.
A small incision is made over the cyst. This is typically about the length of the cyst. Dissolvable sutures are used to close the incision. I often do not have any follow-up scheduled with my patients, but if you have any issues please do not hesitate to call my office.
The benefits of the surgery:
If you have recurrent infections, this will remove the cyst completely and prevent future infections.
When they are very large, they can be noticeable, surgery will remove this as well.
What are the risks of surgery?
All surgeries will make a scar. If the cyst is small, I often tell my patients they are trading a small bump for a small scar.
All surgeries may cause infection, nerve injury, bleeding, or persistent pain.
Infection ranges from 1-5%. Patients who have diabetes, use nicotine products, or have an autoimmune disease are at higher risks. If you use nicotine products please stop this 4 weeks before and after your surgery. A mild infection may have some increased pain or redness and can be treated with antibiotics. More severe infections may require the wound to be opened up again and long-term IV antibiotics.
Nerve injury to the nerve is always possible although very rare and dependent on the area on the body it is being removed.
There is no significant bleeding from this procedure, but the wound can ooze blood. If this happens, please place firm pressure on the wound for 10 minutes and this should stop. If it does not, please call our office or present to your nearest emergency department for an assessment.
Persistent pain may continue after surgery either due to scar tissue or sensitive nerves after surgery. This often goes away, but can be quite distressing. I will continue to follow you closely until this improves.
Recurrence is always possible and the medical literature cites between 5-10% of these will come back, or a new one may occur in another location. Some patients are pre-disposed to cysts
Most patients to take 4 weeks to fully recover. Location of the cyst and size are significant factors. Cysts located on the lower extremity or large cysts will require more recovery. Some patients may take longer due to scar tissue pain. I ask patients a minimum of two weeks to let the sutures heal if they cannot take four weeks off work. This is to let the sutures heal the wound. The sutures are strong, but not invincible!
You will be provide with a post-operative instruction sheet to guide you on healing. The dressing can come off after 3-5 days and washed with soap and water. The sutures will start dissolving between 2-4 weeks. After four weeks, if the wound has completely healed there are no restrictions.
I ask all my patients to not place their surgical site in any still bodies of water until the wound has healed - this includes bathtubs, jacuzzis, beaches, and no dishes for the next month. (I can write a prescription if your spouse does not believe you!) This is to prevent any infections.
Most cysts are not covered by OHIP. The size and location of the cyst will impact the cost of your surgery
If you have a referral from your family physician, the consultation fee is waived. Otherwise, there will be a consultation fee of $150 + HST.
If you have a cyst you would like assessed, we are happy to book you in with rapid access for a consultation and a short waitlist for surgery.
If you would like the consultation fee ($150+HST) waived, please have your family physician send a referral.