A cyst can appear anywhere on the body or under the skin, often caused by infections, diseases, blockages in ducts, inflammation, and ingrown hairs, among other reasons. Most of the time, cysts are not harmful nor do they require treatment. In many cases, they may even go away on their own. There are certain circumstances, however, when they should be treated and/or removed.
If your doctor has diagnosed your cyst and recommends that it be treated and/or removed, there are a few different options you can consider. Before resorting to surgical removal, these methods may be used:
- Drainage: Cysts are sacs of matter such as fluid or air, so doctors can physically drain the cyst of whatever it is filled with by using a needle. Unfortunately, cysts can refill even after being drained, so this is not always a permanent solution to the problem.
- Medication: Certain medications can help to reduce the inflammation in the cyst.
If the cyst is still bothersome, or worse, cancerous, surgical removal is likely to be the best option. This type of surgery is done under local anesthesia. The doctor makes a small incision
through which the cyst is pulled through. A Laparoscopy procedure is done for cysts that are found in the ovaries. This type of procedure involves the doctor making a few small incisions through which a thin camera, called a laparoscope, is inserted into the body. The laparoscope helps the doctor locate the cyst within the area and remove it. Cyst removal surgeries do result in a scar. For a regular surgical treatment, the size of the scar will be dependent on the size of the cyst. For a Laparoscopy procedure, the scars will be small because the incisions made in the body do not have to be very large.
