Hi Doctor! Can You Please Take A Look At The

Posted on Sat, 27 Oct 2018

Question: Hi Doctor! Can you please take a look at the attached image of a spot on my husbands chest and tell me what you think it may be and if it looks concerning? He said it has been there for a few weeks and when I saw it several days ago it was a raised pinkish/flesh colored bump. I gave him some of my mupirocin ointment which he has been applying on it twice a day for the past several days. When I just looked at it now as in the picture, it appears that there is some whitish substance emerging from it, but he didn’t want to squeeE it. Thank you for your input!

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Need a bit more information

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to ask a doctor service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

I've checked the attached photograph. It seems like it could be an inflamed sebaceous cyst if it has been there for several weeks or it could be a furuncle (skin infection).

Is it painful?
Any other complaints?

Let me know if you need any more assistance.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (55 minutes later)

Hi Dr. Kakkar! Thanks so much for your response! I just asked my husband and he said it is not painful at all, and he has no other complaints associated with the spot. He did indicate that it’s been there for a few weeks. As I said, he’s been using mupirocin ointment on it twice daily and that seems to have caused it to discharge some contents....

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Sebaceous cyst

Detailed Answer:
Thank you.

Most likely it is a sebaceous cyst which has a lining wall containing sebaceous glands. These glands secrete sebum that accumulates and forms a cystic lesion. The sebaceous contents may discharge through the central punctum which is what seems to be happening in his case.

The cyst may refill over a period of time. Definitive treatment is complete excision of the cyst along with the cyst wall if it gets enlarged repeatedly.

Hope I have answered your query.
Let me know if you need any more assistance

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