12 replies to this topic

[DC-girl]

I have developed a "cyst" 3 weeks ago and am trying to figure out if this cyst" is behaving like other's people's.
Because I'm starting to wonder if it's even acne.

So things about these that are very different.
1. They seem to be enclosed.
2. There is no pus; just blood when poked.
3. I basically has normal looking skin on top; it's just like there's a huge lump under my face. But no whitehead of any kind.

Do your cysts have a border to them? As in, do they kinda feel like they are in a "sac" of tissue.
Like if you push on one side it (the inside firm/gel stuff) will be crammed up within the "sac"? This is different the normal zits of course, normal zits don't seem to be enclosed like this.

Please tell me if this is normal for cysts?!
This new one is huge; it's a half inch wide and long and raised on my face; so embarrassing.
I am so depressed about this one becoming like other one I've had on my face for 3 months and am feeling like getting a cortisone shot on monday, I'm practically suicidal over the idea of this turning into what the other one is.
The other one I had injected with cortisone and so I said I'd never to it again but this new one is huge and swollen and I am starting to think about risking the cortisone injection at this point.

Ehow has a definition and it might be that I suffer from Nodules because according to them:

• "Nodules are a type of acne that's like a cyst, except there's no pus inside. Rather, these blemishes are large, hard and red. They can last for a great length of time, as bacteria is trapped. Nodules can lead to scarring if not treated promptly. The material inside can also harden, leading to skin damage and trauma."

Please help someone and tell me if this is how they normally act? I am terrified if this isn't normal that I might make it worse with the trauma of a cortisone shot. But some people say it's totally worth it. I'm scared to make it worse but also scared to go any longer like this.
I have attached a pic of what the new one looks like; it's not me but very similiar to what mine looks like except mine doesn't appear to have any heads on it.
Please Help

Attached Files

•  nodule.png   319.95K   6 downloads

Edited by DC-girl, 24 November 2012 - 06:19 PM.

[Nyla]

ive had those before, but they were smaller than a regular cyst but they would just ooze blood and literally NOTHING else when i popped them. someone told me if blood oozes out of a cyst/zit that means its really deep. don't quote me on this though, because i'm really not sure. i'd say keep icing it every few hours, and leave it alone for at least a week more tops. ive had cysts on my forehead that lasted for almost a month. i wouldnt go for the cortisone shot if i were you, because cysts can and absolutely do heal on their own at times.. so just leave it alone for now. you could try tea tree oil as well. good luck and try not to be too negative! =)

Edited by burgundyfunk, 24 November 2012 - 12:13 PM.

[DC-girl]

I have tried tea tree oil, I will try it again. Everything just seem to dry the surface skin and not get to it.

[Elsewhere]

That sounds like a nodule. Why didn't the cortisone shot work for you last time?

[DC-girl]

I can't be sure but you can see on the other topic I posted it became encapsulated and pulled the skin in and looks really bad; It is flatter but still there under the skin pulling skin in and/or that could be atrophy from the cortisone shot.
When I went to a plastic surgeon about possibly having it removed he said he hates that derms poke people with cortisone because the skin can't heal and now I just have to wait 6-9 months for the cortisone to be gone before I can even evaluate that the result will be.
Then at that point I could look into getting it removed.
It's really frustrating knowing that I can't do anything about how it looks so I decided I wouldn't do cortisone again but now I'm getting desperate enough I'm 2nd guessing myself.

Edited by DC-girl, 24 November 2012 - 07:57 PM.

[jarrit]

I think I asked you this before but...

What exactly do you eat throughout the week?

It's not very helpful to post a photo of someone else's lesion. If you could post a photo of what your cyst looks like, I think it would give people a better idea.

Your skin type is likely very different from his.

A cyst is very deep underneath the skin, and cannot be healed by mere topicals. You can drain it, but the problem is, it's a very invasive and temporary measure.

[armadillo]

That picture shows a nodule. If yours looks almost identical, I'm pretty sure it's a nodule and not a cyst...please stop poking it. It needs to be left alone, just let your dermatologist treat it. Cortisone shots don't always work on nodules. It probably needs to be removed surgically.

[DC-girl]

That picture shows a nodule. If yours looks almost identical, I'm pretty sure it's a nodule and not a cyst...please stop poking it. It needs to be left alone, just let your dermatologist treat it. Cortisone shots don't always work on nodules. It probably needs to be removed surgically.

This is upsetting to me; can you please tell me why you think nodules don't heal on their own; why would you say it needs to by surgically removed; do you have experience in this?
I'm trying to figure out how to treat it and am starting to think I should just leave it alone but that would be pointless if you don't think it will heal on its own. Can you please elaborate?

I think I asked you this before but...

What exactly do you eat throughout the week?

It's not very helpful to post a photo of someone else's lesion. If you could post a photo of what your cyst looks like, I think it would give people a better idea.

Your skin type is likely very different from his.

A cyst is very deep underneath the skin, and cannot be healed by mere topicals. You can drain it, but the problem is, it's a very invasive and temporary measure.

I eat local beef, eggs, veggies, sometimes low sugar fruit like grapefruit, was eating bacon but stopped that.
Just stopped drinking coffee too.
I don't eat sugar, dairy, any grains or anything boxed or packages as much as possible.
I did have a tiny piece of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving though.
I also take countless vitamins and mineral supplements.

I tried taking a picture but it only shows the size but you can't tell that it's elevated that why I put the other picture up because it shows more like what I have.
I might try on tuesday when I will have a different camera with me to take another.

I have tried to eat very clean for 1.5 years; and I do think diet has an effect but mostly I think this is from adrenal exhaustion; high stress, causing low progesterone and estrogen dominance at this point so I am starting bio identical progesterone.

[carp351]

I had one just like that on my left cheek, mine was a litle larger but less wide, mine took about a month to completely flatten out. Unfortunately I am left with a scar and I did not pick. I think you should have that surgically removed because to be honest they scar, now my left cheek has a huge rolling scar. Good luck!

[DC-girl]

I had one just like that on my left cheek, mine was a litle larger but less wide, mine took about a month to completely flatten out. Unfortunately I am left with a scar and I did not pick. I think you should have that surgically removed because to be honest they scar, now my left cheek has a huge rolling scar. Good luck!

Thanks for replying Carp351,

When you say you had one "just like that" did you mean it looked like the picture or it sounded like my description of what I have?

As in, Was yours very deep with no head. Large red and hard; not a cyst but a nodule?

Thank you for your time

Edited by DC-girl, 25 November 2012 - 06:07 PM.

[carp351]

Yeah no head, very deep, it was painful when touched, I was about to poke a needle because I was so desperate but I didn't. My left cheek literally looked like a got punched in the face. Hopefully subcision will take care of my scar if not i will just get over it.

[DC-girl]

Yeah no head, very deep, it was painful when touched, I was about to poke a needle because I was so desperate but I didn't. My left cheek literally looked like a got punched in the face. Hopefully subcision will take care of my scar if not i will just get over it.

Ok, thanks, you said it took a month to flatten out.................How did you get it to flatten?
Did you use any topicals at the time or just leave it alone?

Also have you ever had cortisone injections into something like this?

Edited by DC-girl, 25 November 2012 - 09:35 PM.

[armadillo]

Cortisone doesn't always work because the nodule isn't necessarily inflamed, even though it might be reddish/purple. It might go away on its own, but a) it is very likely to leave a pitted scar b) it might take years to heal. If you have it surgically removed, it will only leave a small and thin scar.

Yes I've had nodules that took several years to heal, but I never tried to squeeze them, because they were far too painful.