What to Know About an Infected Cyst

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I’m going to detail what to know about dealing with an infected cyst, because this just happened to me. I wasn’t sure what to do.

I’ve had a small cyst on my chest between my breasts for years. I was told it was harmless.

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Then it suddenly started growing over the past month or so.

I had an appointment with a dermatologist in June, and she looked at it. She asked if it bothered me (no) and said it was safe to leave it there.

A few days ago, Sunday, a red streak ran from the cyst up toward my neck.

At first, I thought one of the cats must have scratched me. But they won’t allow me to hold them, so I don’t know how that could have happened.

Waiting…

So I waited a few hours, feeling a bit anxious and confused.

Then I called my daughter, which I rarely do, and she didn’t answer. I then called my younger daughter, and she also didn’t answer (I found out she was at church). As I was feeling a little off, I didn’t know if I wanted to drive.

There are many wonderful things about living alone. But when something like this comes up, you often have to deal with it on your own. And that can be scary.

I already had an appointment with my regular doctor on Tuesday (yesterday) morning. So I figured it could wait until then.

But when I looked up “red streak on skin from cyst”, I knew I probably shouldn’t wait.

So I made an appointment online at the closest Urgent Care Clinic and went there. It was infected, so they had to drain it. He told me I should have it removed because it would keep getting infected.

Kendra had been outside working, and she didn’t have her phone. Once I connected with her, she went to the pharmacy to fill the antibiotic and get large bandages. Kasi had been in church.

What is a Cyst?

• A cyst is a benign (noncancerous) pocket of tissue filled with fluid, pus, or a cheesy material like keratin.
• Common skin types include epidermoid cysts and sebaceous cysts.
• They usually grow slowly and stay painless unless irritated.

Epidermoid (ep-ih-DUR-moid) cysts are harmless small bumps beneath the skin. They are most common on the face, neck, and trunk.

Epidermoid cysts are slow-growing and often painless, so they rarely cause problems or need treatment. You might choose to have a cyst removed if it bothers you, breaks open, or is painful or infected.

How Does the Cyst Become Infected?

An infected cyst is a closed sac under the skin filled with fluid or pus that harmful bacteria have invaded, causing painful inflammation.

The skin’s surface is made up of a thin, protective layer of cells that the body sheds nonstop. Most epidermoid cysts form when these cells move deeper into the skin instead of shedding.

Epidermal cells form the walls of the cyst and then secrete the protein keratin into it. Keratin is the thick, cheesy substance that can leak from the cyst.

If the abscess bursts inside the body, it can cause blood poisoning (septicemia).

Seeing My Regular Physician

Yesterday morning, I saw my regular physician.

My doctor said she was glad I went to Urgent Care, because she didn’t have the instruments to pierce and drain it. So she would have sent me somewhere else anyway.

She didn’t look at the cyst because she said the antibiotic I was taking would take care of it, and she didn’t have the type of bandages to cover it.

I told her something seemed off with my kidneys. My doctor is leaving for vacation in Portugal, so I should have lab work and a urinalysis before she left town.

Turns out I have a UTI, too. So I’m on two antibiotics for infections for two different problems.

Dealing with the Cyst

I clean the area and add antibiotic cream (Neosporin) twice a day. Then I bandage it with a large adhesive pad.

Lately, I’ve been extremely tired and had no energy. This lethargy has lasted for weeks. That, along with my joint pain, seemed almost overwhelming at times. And my bad ankle only lets me stand for a little while at a time. So everything takes longer.

I don’t go out much. Especially in this horrid heat. But it was good that I forced myself to go out on Sunday and yesterday.

What is Lymphangitis?

Lymphangitis is inflammation of your lymph vessels. Your lymph vessels are part of your lymphatic system. They transport lymphatic fluid away from tissues and deliver it back into your bloodstream.

If an infection occurs, lymphatic fluid carries lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, to the infection site to help fight the infection. If the lymph vessels become infected, lymphangitis can result.

Red streaks indicate that a skin infection is worsening and spreading rapidly. These lines usually travel from the site of the cyst toward your nearest major lymph nodes, such as those in your armpits, groin, or neck.

These red lines may be faint or obvious. Mine was faint.

Lymphangitis may signal that a skin or soft tissue infection is worsening. Bacteria can spread into the blood and cause life-threatening problems.

Untreated lymphangitis can progress into sepsis and become life-threatening within hours to less than 24 hours. 

Go to an emergency room or call for emergency help right away if you notice red streaks along with any of these red flag symptoms:

• High fever, shaking chills, or severe sweating.
• Rapid heart rate or fast breathing.
• Dizziness, confusion, or extreme weakness.
• A streak that is visibly moving or growing longer over minutes or hours

Prompt antibiotic treatment typically leads to full recovery.

What Not to Do

Do not attempt to squeeze, pop, or drain the cyst at home.

Squeezing applies mechanical pressure that can rupture the cyst wall deeper underneath the skin.

This can force infected contents deeper into surrounding tissues and the bloodstream, worsening the infection or leading to sepsis.

A healthcare professional will likely treat this with prescription antibiotics (either oral or intravenous) and safely manage the cyst once the active infection is under control.

I see the dermatologist next week to discuss this, but I don’t know whether she’ll remove the cyst or refer me elsewhere.