Getting cyst on scalp removed -- questions?

Hi there,

I have had a benign cyst on my scalp for a few years now. I am finally getting it removed next week. My question is, has anybody has this done? I am wondering what the aftercare will be? Will I have to wear a big bandage on my hair for days? Can I wash my hair?

The doc said it would be about a 1 cm incision with 2, maximum 3 stitches. He will just shave the hair exactly where the cyst is (about 1 cm).

I'm worried I will have to walk around with a big bandage on my hair and stitches sticking out.

Thanks!

I am having a cyst removed next week as well and I am wondering the same thing. They will be stapling my scalp back, not stitches. Do you have any information ie:pain, recovery, bandaging, cleaning etc...

Thanks!!!

I just had two cysts removed from my scalp today actually. It only took maybe 10-15 minutes. He didnt shave any hair on one as it was in the hairline of the forehead. The other one he cut some hair as it was easy to cover. I have two incisions about 1 cm or so and 2 stitches in each. There was quite a lot of blood as he said this was normal so dont be worried. I had no bandages and took a shower at night but tried not to saturate the area. When the freezing wore off it was pretty tender especially the one becasue he really had to squeeze to get it out. I was told the pain would be minimal after but ended up taking one tylenol 3 that i had at home and the pain was completly gone after that. Hope some of this info helps. Feel free to write if you have any questions.

I have had one removed in the past. I got a few stiches to close the hole. As I remember it wasn't that bad at all. I didn't have any pain afterwards and the healing was fast. Good luck you guys.

I had two small cysts removed two weeks ago this Friday. In was done in my Dr's office and once she got started it took about 10 minutes. I have 3 stiches that will be removed next Monday. My scalp is still tender, I am guessing because she too had to squeeze quite a bit to get them both out. I was told I could wash my hair as usual, but to blow dry the area where the stiches are as soon as possible. No bandage was required. As the other person posted, it was quite bloody, but my Dr. said that with the head, bleeding as such was normal.

I had this done only last month. I've had a cyst (I never really knew what it was, actually, until I had it checked out last month) for my entire life. It was on the back of my scalp, above my neck, and it wasn't at all visible to anyone. No one knew I had it. I suspected that it was very slowly (over decades!) getting somewhat larger, although it never bothered me. It was only embarrassing when I had my hair washed, cut, and colored (monthly), because I was worried that the hairdresser might be freaked out to feel it. FINALLY, I just began to Google to explore what this thing might be, and I actually got the courage to ask my dermatologist about it. He felt it, didn't seem alarmed at all, and we scheduled an appt. for removal. On the day of the surgery I was brought into the operating room, made to lay face-down on the operating table, and the nurse parted my hair and pinned it out of the way. I propped my forehead onto my hands, and they gave my shots around the cyst to numb me. They told me that there was no need to shave my hair or cut it (and I have very thick hair!). I let the surgeon and nurse know that I didn't want to lose any hair, and they told me that there is usually no need to cut or shave. I felt no pain during the procedure at all, but I did feel the surgeon pushing and squeezing on the back of my head. I think it was all over in about 15 minutes. When I opened my eyes (I was face down), I realized that there was quite a pool of blood collected just under my face. The surgeon told me that the scalp was "very vascular," and that they would clean me up, and not to worry. The OR nurse very quickly covered up the bloody paper on the operating table with a fresh cover so that I wouldn't be alarmed, but I was ok with it, and just glad that it was all over. The incision was about an inch or less on the back of my head, and the surgeon both stitched it, and she put in 16 staples (!!!!!!) very close together (it felt sort of like a zipper). The nurse taped a pressure bandage onto the back of my head which was held there with a stretchy bandage wrapped around my forehead, under my chin, and around the back of my head. I was a sight! I drove home myself. I was in a rush because I was having hardwood floors installed that very day. I beat the installers to my house by only around 20 minutes. I am sure my bandages surprised them, but I felt just fine. Later that evening when the numbness wore off, I took a couple of tylenol. I was told to NOT wash my hair until the next morning. I was told that the incision might drain a bit over the next couple of days, and that the first time I washed my hair I might see some of the dried blood rinsed away, and that I shouldn't be alarmed. Over the next week the swelling resolved, and I was really never uncomfortable. About 10 days later I returned to have the staples removed. I have NO COMPLAINTS!!!!!! I can detect (by feeling it, because I can't see it on the back of my head), that the incision was small, and that it's nice and neat and clean, and it will still probably heal further so that eventually I won't feel it at all. I CAN'T BELIEVE I HAD THAT THING REMOVED!!!!!! I am a chicken when it comes to anything medical, and I am needle-phobic, but I am so glad that I finally did this procedure, and that the growth is gone. I think I was afraid that it would someday turn cancerous, or something. It was really a snap. The anticipation was the worst part. The surgeon and nurse were so sweet and very professional, and they made me very comfortable. Now when I feel the back of my head, there's NO LUMP THERE AT ALL!!!!!!

I had one removed last week and will have the stitches (only three) taken out tomorrow. Mine actually did not bleed much at all (and it was on the top of my head!). The cyst I had removed has been removed before, but was severely infected the first time. I had little to no pain after the 10 min procedure and washed my hair the next day.

The only not so cool thing is I was told to keep polysporin ointment the stitches and it has made my hair very oily/sticky/gross where applied. I am getting tired of the ponytail look! LOL!

Good luck to you!

I had an infected cyst removed yesterday from the top of my head on my scalp. I had it removed under a local anesthetic and it killed. I felt pain and they had to give me more anesthetic to try and numb the area further. The wound could not be stitched so it was "packed" with gauze like stuff. Once the local wore off, the pain was unbearable that they ended up giving me morphine. I have a large bandage around my head and I have to go to my practice nurse to get the dressing changed every couple of days. I have two other small cysts on my scalp but I am not going through that hell again.

Hi there.. sorry to bring this old topic back..

I was wondering what the typical cost of removing this type of cyst is? I have a small, 1cm cyst on my scalp. It's never given me problems, I had it checked awhile ago and the doc says it's fine, but I want to remove it. Unfortunately (or should I say health-wise..FORTUNATELY), I'm nowhere near meeting my annual deductible and I'm pretty sure this won't be covered by my insurance.

Is there any way this can be considered an "office visit" (so I only have to pay the $30 co-payment.. but I know this is highly unlikely)? Can a normal beauty-based dermatologist perform this (I see alot of them listing mole/wart removal.. so maybe they can do a cyst)?

Please let me know how much you guys paid. Thanks!

I had 2 small cysts on my scalp removed today by my dermotologist in his office. I'm not sure what the bill was because my insurance covers it completely. I did not have to even pay the co-pay for a regular office. I can call them tomorrow to find out the cost.