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Could A Sebaceous Cyst Have 3 Openings?
Question: Could a sebaceous cyst have 3 openings? Leaving the "cyst" uncovered I woke up this morning and felt that area on my back was a quite wet. My husband said it now looks like it's draining from three spots. I did pick up a 10 day prescription of cephalexin 250 mg 4*day my GP called in for me. So do you still think a cyst and still should be removed or do you think an insect bite
Brief Answer:
Could be secondarily infected
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Greetings!
I understand that you now have discharge draining from 3 points on the swelling you had previously described on your back.
I saw the clinical picture you had attached with your previous query again.
It looked like the initial lesion was infected. The infection might have increased leading to more discharge from multiple points. Whether the initial lesion was a sebaceous cyst or a bug bite, the current infection needs to be treated and oral Cephalexin should be able to control the infection.
I feel that the initial lesion could have been a sebaceous cyst based on the following-
1. Location is very typical.
2. I went through your previous queries ( answered by other doctors) and also saw a few more clinical pictures that you had attached and the symptoms and description given by you match that of a sebaceous cyst.
3. Bug bite generally does not last for a month. It is more acute and even if it gets infected, it resolves in a single course of antibiotics. Also, it occurs on the exposed areas of the body like legs and arms more commonly.
In either case, it would be better to consult a surgeon. Even if it is a simple abscess, it may require drainage by a surgeon. Also, a sebaceous cyst need not be excised right away ( if the surgery part is scaring you). You could wait and do it at a later date. The only problem with leaving a sebaceous cyst untreated is complications like infection and rupture. ( which you may already having currently)
You could observe how the lesion would behave after the course of antibiotic is over.
Do not worry.
Hope this helps you.
Regards,
Dr. Johny Chacko
Could be secondarily infected
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Greetings!
I understand that you now have discharge draining from 3 points on the swelling you had previously described on your back.
I saw the clinical picture you had attached with your previous query again.
It looked like the initial lesion was infected. The infection might have increased leading to more discharge from multiple points. Whether the initial lesion was a sebaceous cyst or a bug bite, the current infection needs to be treated and oral Cephalexin should be able to control the infection.
I feel that the initial lesion could have been a sebaceous cyst based on the following-
1. Location is very typical.
2. I went through your previous queries ( answered by other doctors) and also saw a few more clinical pictures that you had attached and the symptoms and description given by you match that of a sebaceous cyst.
3. Bug bite generally does not last for a month. It is more acute and even if it gets infected, it resolves in a single course of antibiotics. Also, it occurs on the exposed areas of the body like legs and arms more commonly.
In either case, it would be better to consult a surgeon. Even if it is a simple abscess, it may require drainage by a surgeon. Also, a sebaceous cyst need not be excised right away ( if the surgery part is scaring you). You could wait and do it at a later date. The only problem with leaving a sebaceous cyst untreated is complications like infection and rupture. ( which you may already having currently)
You could observe how the lesion would behave after the course of antibiotic is over.
Do not worry.
Hope this helps you.
Regards,
Dr. Johny Chacko
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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