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Hi there - I've been on quite the journey for the past 4 months that I'd like to share with you.
DAY 1 - It all started with a bump on my cheek the size of a nickel.
DAY 2 - 15: Throughout the next 15 days it continued to get larger. Probably didn't help that I was jabbing needles into it trying to find the head. I assumed the whole thing was inflated with pus. Very little came out. The biggest mistake was using a derma-roller (sooo dumb. not sure what result I was expecting). By day 15 it looked like this:
See those two bumps to the top and bottom left? The end up causing big trouble but also great relief.
Day 15 - Around day 15 I was desperate to find relief. Although the growth didn't hurt, it looked super strange - to the point that I was wearing a bandaid to work. I couldn't find anyone in Toronto who would perform a draining, but I did find someone who could perform a quick cortisone shot, which provided relief for a few days. Immediately after the shots, the bump was larger (due to the fluid within) but it slowly subsided.
Day 16 to 30 - the bump slowly disappeared and left a flat dark spot.
Day 30 to 45 - The bump quickly grew back and eventually looked exactly the same as it did at its worst - then grew about 3x even larger than that. It was HUGE. Unfortunately I didn't take a picture (too busy being anxious).
By day 45 I had lined up an appointment with a dermatologist/plastic surgeon combo - though a few days before the appointment, the cyst popped. The pus was white, had no smell, and seeped through those two bumps previously mentioned.
Day 45 to 60 - The area where the cyst existed was slightly bumpy for a few days, but eventually flattened out.
By around Day 60, I noticed the bump slowly returning. I panicked and called the plastic surgeon - hoping to have the underlying cyst removed. By this point, the bump looked like this:
I took this picture with especially hard lighting so you could see the two small ice pick scars around the left side. Those were the points where the fluid had drained. I hated the holes more than the bump itself.
Day 70 - Saw the surgeon. He had suggested waiting 2 months before doing any sort of procedure, as sometimes the previously inflamed skin could scar over very badly. He said that we should wait to see if the bump calms down, or if it becomes largely inflamed again.
Days 70 to 120 - The bump remained fairly stable. Some days it felt bigger or smaller - but overall remained unchanged.
After the two months had passed, it was time for the incision. The doctor aimed to remove the underlying cyst, associated scar tissue and the deep ice pick scars.
The procedure was a success - he was able to cut the scar tissue away. Apparently the cyst wall would be within the scar tissue. He warned that because the removed such a thick ball, it may create a dimple where the cyst was. Luckily this spot isn't the worst to have a dimple.
WARNING - GROSS PICTURES AHEAD
The removed scar tissue:
It's now one week after the surgery and the stitches are removed. There a bit of pinkness and uneven skin texture, but this should resolve within the next few weeks to months. I'm noticing a bit of dimpling. Doc says it will probably get a bit worse before it gets better (usually these sorts of dimples will fill in themselves).
Wish me luck throughout the healing process! And let me know if you guys have any questions. I left out some details for an easier read -but happy to help where I can.
BTW, this is the guy who performed the procedure. So amazing. Totally professional and clearly cares about his patients: