From the Guidelines
Treatment of a skin cyst, particularly an inflamed epidermoid cyst, entails incision, thorough evacuation of the pus, and probing the cavity to break up loculations, as outlined in the practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft-tissue infections 1. When dealing with skin cysts, it's essential to differentiate between various types, such as epidermoid cysts and sebaceous cysts. Epidermoid cysts, often mislabeled as "sebaceous cysts," typically contain skin flora in the cheesy keratinous material, even when uninflamed 1. Key considerations for managing skin cysts include:
- Incision and drainage for infected cysts
- Warm compresses to reduce discomfort and promote drainage
- Avoiding attempts to squeeze or pop the cyst at home to prevent infection and scarring
- Potential use of systemic antibiotics in rare cases, such as multiple lesions, cutaneous gangrene, or severely impaired host defenses 1 In terms of specific treatment approaches, simply covering the surgical site with a dry dressing is usually the easiest and most effective treatment of the wound 1. However, some clinicians may choose to pack the wound with gauze or suture it closed. Gram stain, culture, and systemic antibiotics are rarely necessary, except in unusual cases such as severe systemic manifestations of infection 1.
From the Research
Skin Cyst Overview
- A skin cyst is a closed capsule or sac-like structure that contains fluid, semi-solid, or gaseous material
- It is a common skin condition that can appear on various parts of the body
Treatment and Prevention
- There is no direct evidence in the provided studies that specifically addresses the treatment and prevention of skin cysts
- However, studies have investigated the use of antibiotics in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs) following excision of skin lesions, which may be relevant to skin cyst treatment 2, 3
- Cephalexin has been shown to be effective in reducing the incidence of SSIs in some cases, but the evidence is not conclusive 2, 3
Antibiotic Use
- Cephalexin is an antibiotic that has been used to treat various skin and soft-tissue infections, including streptococcal and staphylococcal infections 4
- The use of perioperative antibiotics, including cephalexin, has been investigated in reducing the risk of SSIs following excision of skin lesions, but high-quality evidence is lacking 3
Other Relevant Research
- A study on the selectivity of glycine for facets on gold nanoparticles may not be directly relevant to skin cysts, but it highlights the importance of understanding molecular interactions in medical applications 5