Symptoms, treatment methods, and removal reviews of ear canal skin cysts

I have had skin cysts in my ear twice. Once on my earlobe and once inside my ear.

Skin cyst symptoms are often confused with pimples, so early treatment is frequently missed. I experienced the same.

So, to help prevent missing the early treatment window like me, I will leave a review to assist in quickly recognizing the symptoms and treatment of skin cysts.

 

This is a photo of a skin cyst that was inside the ear.

It wasn't this big from the beginning!!ㅠㅠ I didn't pay attention because it was small, and I only realized later that it had grown larger.

My skin cyst symptoms were almost the same as pimples. They were swollen, painful, and not itchy. I thought they would go away over time, but unlike pimples, they kept getting bigger. When I touched them, I felt a firm lump, so I realized, oh, this must be a skin cyst! and I went to the hospital at that time.

 

At the hospital, they listened to my story and confirmed that my symptoms were consistent with a skin cyst.

When I first developed a skin cyst, I had it incised and drained at the dermatology clinic. Since a skin cyst requires removal of the cyst sac, they use a cutting method. However, that day the dermatology clinic I usually go to was closed, so I went to a nearby surgical clinic, and they said they would remove it using a pinhole method instead of an incision.

The pinhole method involves making a very small hole without cutting the skin to remove sebum and cysts through that opening. Therefore, one advantage is that the scar is small. However, the pinhole method is not suitable for all skin cysts, and depending on the symptoms and size of the cyst, an incision may be necessary. Hearing this, I thought I made a good decision to come to the surgery department, and I headed to the operating room.

 

I received an anesthesia injection before the surgery. The anesthesia shot was really painful...ㅠ Fortunately, after the anesthesia wore off, there was only some dull ache, but no significant pain.

 

Fortunately, only the swelling was large and the cyst inside was not as big as expected, so I didn't need stitches!! I think the pinhole method is really great because it doesn't require an incision if the size is small! So, the treatment ended with just applying a bandage.

 

After surgery

The scab has formed. Considering how swollen it was, the swelling has completely gone down.

 

I am currently feeling much better and recovering well~

The scab has fallen off, but since the skin on the ear is thin and a hole was made with a needle, there are needle marks. I think it will take more time for those marks to disappear. Even if they don't disappear, they won't be very noticeable, so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

If I had known it would end so neatly, I wonder if I should have gone to the hospital as soon as the skin cyst symptoms appeared, and if it would have been cleaner without any scars. 🥲

If you notice even a slight sign of a skin cyst, don't hesitate and go to the hospital immediately, and visit a dermatologist or surgeon who performs the pinhole method instead of excision!