Dermoid Cyst Treatment Tips: Causes, Symptoms, and Natural Remedies

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

dermoid cystCysts, regardless of type, should be examined and properly treated. The problem with cysts is that they are known to impact your quality of life. They may affect you physically, thwarting your movements, or they may affect you mentally as they can be sometimes unsightly.

But each type of cyst comes with its own issues, symptoms, and problems. And in this article, we are going to examine dermoid cysts. From dermoid cyst causes, to dermoid cyst symptoms and dermoid cyst treatment, this will be a brief guide to what you should consider when dealing with a dermoid cyst.

What Is a Dermoid Cyst?

What is a dermoid cyst? Dermoid cysts tend to form on the face, in the skull, on the back, and in the ovaries of women. While many cysts tend to be filled with fluid only, dermoid cysts can be filled with sebum and blood as well as mature, solid tissues like hair, skin glands, and even teeth. They are typically noncancerous and tend to start their growth at birth, continuing rather slowly from there.

The dermoid cysts that appear on the outside of the body usually aren’t painful unless ruptured. The cysts on the interior of the body can cause pain and complications depending on their location. Despite their appearance at birth, dermoid cysts can remain undetected for many years due to their slow growth, often into childhood and even adulthood.

Now that we’ve given you a brief definition for dermoid cysts, we can move on to the types of dermoid cyst.

Types of Dermoid Cysts

The types of dermoid cysts can easily be categorized due to the places where they appear. The types of dermoid cysts include:

  • Cutaneous dermoid cysts
  • Dermoid cysts in the nasal sinuses
  • Periorbital dermoid cysts
  • Dermoid cysts in the brain
  • Spinal dermoid cysts
  • Ovarian dermoid cysts

But what actually causes these cysts, and is there anything you can do about them?

Dermoid Cyst Causes

Dermoid cysts, especially the internal varieties, sound like they aren’t a whole lot of fun. So, what causes dermoid cysts? Essentially, these cysts form when skin and cell structures get trapped during the fetal stages of development. Because the cysts are made up of the same genetic material as your skin, they grow like they are a natural part of your body. Some develop hair follicles, glands and even teeth inside of them. This leads us to our next topic, the symptoms of a dermoid cyst.

Dermoid Cyst Symptoms

For the most part, the symptoms of a dermoid cyst are pretty limited. They are generally painless. Dermoid cysts will first appear as small, flesh-colored bumps, and occasionally, they may gain a yellowish hue to them. On the outside of the body, the slow-growing cysts are most often found on the back of the neck or face. If the cyst becomes infected, it may become red and sore. The dermoid cysts found inside the body can go relatively unnoticed for a longer period of time, at which point they have usually become an issue with one of the body’s functions.

Dermoid Cyst Diagnosis

Since they are often painless or hidden, how does a dermoid cyst get diagnosed in the first place? The dermoid cysts on the surface are fairly easy to diagnose. The doctor will go through your medical history to rule out other causes and will then examine your cyst.

After an examination, tests like a CT scan and an MRI may be used to get a better look at the cyst as well as to determine what the cyst may be connected to (this is especially important with dermoid cysts attached to the neck). When an internal dermoid cyst is found, similar tests will be performed for comparable reasons. Once a full dermoid cyst diagnosis is made, you can move on to treatment.

Dermoid Cyst Natural Treatment

In terms of natural treatments, there are a few options that may help, but it is very important that you not attempt to remove the cyst yourself. Attempting to remove the cyst on your own at home can result in a lot of complications, especially if there is any connection to nerves or the spinal cord—not to mention infection.

As for dermoid cyst natural treatments, there are a few things that may help you shrink the cyst slightly, but due to the solid mass that it may contain, it differs on a patient to patient basis.

1. Garlic and Margosa Leaf Paste

A paste made up of garlic and margosa leaves may help shrink the size of the cyst. The mixture may also help with infections and inflammation due to both garlic and the margosa leaf’s natural anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

2. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil, long a favorite home remedy, may be used in a mixture with water (the tea tree oil should make up no more than five percent of the mixture) to help try and reduce the size of the cyst due to tea tree oil’s anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.

Dermoid Cyst Treatment

While the natural remedies may work to some degree, your dermoid cyst may have to be removed by a medical professional. This occurs when a cyst is becoming too large, or it might begin interfering with your daily life. A lot of the cysts that appear to the outside can be removed with day surgery.

More complicated cysts (like the internal variety) may require a few days in the hospital. In the cysts close to the surface, a small incision will be made and the cyst removed. The cut is stitched up and you are on your way. For something more serious like on the neck or ovaries, a similar procedure will be used, but may require more medical attention depending on the situation.

Removal of a cyst tends to make sure that it will not reappear. Just to reconfirm, we can not stress enough of how bad of an idea it is to attempt to remove the cyst yourself.

Keep an Eye Out for Dermoid Cysts!

Unfortunately, dermoid cysts can sneak up on you. Their growth tends to be slow, and it may be a while before you or someone else notices the cyst. Keep an eye on any growths that may appear your body, which is a good rule of thumb on a whole. When something looks to be getting too big, go to a doctor. They can diagnose the issue, and you can start making plans for treatment right away so you can get back to your life.


Read more:

Understanding Ovarian Cysts


Sources:
“Dermoid Cyst,” WebMD, November 17, 2015; http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/sdermoid-cyst#1, last accessed June 29, 2017.
“Dermoid Cyst Removal,” eMedicine Health; http://www.emedicinehealth.com/dermoid_cyst_removal/article_em.htm, last accessed June 29, 2017.
“Dermoid Cyst,” Children’s Hospital St. Louis; http://www.stlouischildrens.org/diseases-conditions/dermoid-cyst, last accessed June 29, 2017.
“Dermoid Cysts Natural Treatment – What Are Its Causes & Symptoms?” Best Remedy Ideas; http://bestremedyideas.com/dermoid-cysts-natural-treatment-what-are-its-causes-symptoms, last accessed June 29, 2017.
“Dermoid Cysts Treatment,” Seattle Children’s Hospital; http://www.seattlechildrens.org/medical-conditions/common-childhood-conditions/dermoid-cyst-treatment/, last accessed June 29, 2017.