What treatments are available

The most effective treatment for a cyst is surgical excision which is undertaken by the dermatologist under local anaesthetic. This is usually effective, although occasionally cysts can come back.

Treatment leaves a scar, which is kept as small as possible and which usually improves with time. It is best to have cysts treated whilst they are still small and before they have had a chance to become inflamed or scarred, which can make excision more difficult.

Acutely inflamed cysts are sometimes best to be first treated with an injection of steroid to calm them down before surgery in undertaken a few weeks later.