General Surgeries

How to Differentiate Lipoma and Sebaceous Cyst?

How to Differentiate Lipoma and Sebaceous Cyst?
by admin
31st July 2023
7 minutes read
Home  »  General Surgeries   »   How to Differentiate Lipoma and Sebaceous Cyst?

Having a lump or a bump anywhere in your body can be alarming, especially when you do not know what it is or where it came from. The most common type of lumps or nodules that are found under your skin are Lipomas and Cysts. These are benign (non-cancerous) lesions that consist of cells within them and are formed in different parts of your body. These are harmless in nature and look very similar to each other, yet, they are different types of growth.

Continue reading to learn about the difference between a lipoma and a sebaceous cyst.

What is a Lipoma?

Lipomas are benign lumps of fatty tissue present between your skin and the muscle layer. They can be found in any part of your body but are most commonly seen developing in areas like the forehead, neck, arms, shoulders, legs, thighs, back, and buttocks. These are small, oval-shaped, soft lumps of unknown etiology (cause) that are freely movable on slight finger pressure. Lipomas are painless and harmless in nature that usually do not require any treatment unless they get infected, enlarge in size, or cause severe pain on pressing against a nerve or blood vessel. 

What is a Cyst?

A cyst is a fluid-filled slow-growing lump found beneath your skin, anywhere on your body but most commonly found on the head and neck. Cysts are harmless lumps of different sizes (either small as a pea or large as a grapefruit). They present a characteristic spot-like dark opening at the top and usually develop when the skin cells do not shed periodically and are pushed deep into the skin layers and multiply.

A sebaceous is a type of cyst that develops from the sebaceous (sebum) glands due to the damage caused to the glands. They often appear on the scalp, face, ears, back, trunk or groin area. Sebaceous cysts are sometimes also called Epidermal Inclusion Cysts.

Difference Between Sebaceous Cysts and Lipoma

Lipomas and sebaceous cysts usually look and feel similar, however, there are a few striking differences that help in diagnosing them at an early stage. The differences are as follows:

 

Characteristic Features

Sebaceous Cysts

Lipomas

Causes

 Sebaceous cysts could be formed due to various reasons that include:

  • Inherited (passed down through generations) diseases
  • Genetic disorders like Gardner’s Syndrome
  • Blocked or damaged sebaceous glands due to infections, trauma or chronic (long-lasting) inflammation.
 The exact cause of lipomas is unknown, but believed to be inherited. Other reasons include:

  • High-intensity trauma that causes a significant impact on lipoma development.
  • Other medical conditions like:
    • Madelung’s Disease
    • Gardner’s Syndrome
    • Dercum’s Disease

Risk Factors

 There are a few risk factors that increase the incidence of cyst formation like:

  • Obstruction in the fluid or oil flow due to trauma
  • Defects in developing organs
  • If you suffer from genetic conditions. For example- Gorlin Syndrome
  • High levels of male testosterone
  • Swollen hair follicles
  • Infections and tumors
 Risk factors that increase your likelihood of developing lipomas are:

  • If you are aged between 40 and 60 years.
  • Diabetes (high blood sugar levels)
  • Genetic disorders that increase fat accumulation. For example- Gardners’s syndrome, Madelung’s disease
  • Obesity and high cholesterol levels when your fat accumulation is excess
  • Liver diseases when your liver fails to flush out the excess toxins, it gets stored as fat under your skin.

Symptoms

 Cysts when involving internal organs do not show any signs, however some symptoms include the following that vary according to the size, type, and location of the cyst:

  • Redness around the cyst
  • The bump feels firm due to the sebum present within the cyst
  • Pain, if infected, inflamed or when it ruptures
  • Swelling and inflamed skin around the cyst
  • Tender on touch
 Most often lipomas go unnoticed, however some common symptoms to identify lipomas include:

  • A lump that is small (2 to 3 inches), oval or round in shape.
  • Painless lump that does not spread easily.
  • The lump looks like a “fat ball” which is soft or rubbery.
  • It moves freely even with slight finger pressure.

Diagnosis 

 Physical examination: On clinical evaluation the cyst can be diagnosed by touching them, when it is present in skin and organs like thyroid glands that are easily palpable.

Imaging tests: When cysts develop in internal organs like the uterus, kidneys, etc, that can be diagnosed effectively through X-ray, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and CT (Computed Tomography) scan.

Biopsy: A piece of tissue obtained from the cyst is checked under a microscope to check for malignancy (cancer formation)

 Physical examination: When your surgeon touches the lipoma it is freely movable and soft in consistency. It is almost always painless.

Imaging tests: Tests like X-rays, MRI, and CT scans help to check the lipoma especially its location and to whether it contains a blood vessel or a nerve.

Biopsy: A sample of the lipoma is sent to the lab to study under a microscope to rule out malignancy.

Treatment 

 Usually, a cyst does not need any treatment unless it causes pain or discomfort. Some treatment options include:

  • Injections: Your surgeon may inject medications into your cyst to reduce the inflammation and redness.
  • Incision and Drainage: A small incision (cut) is made on the cyst and the content is drained or squeezed out. 
  • Surgery: The surgical treatment involves completely removing the cyst, its content, and the outer encasing. There is a reduced risk of recurrence. 
 Most lipomas are painless and harmless, hence generally do not require any treatment. However, if your lipoma is causing pain, and discomfort or is unaesthetic in appearance, the following treatment options are preferred:

  • Steroid injections: Steroids are injected into the lump to shrink the lipoma. 
  • Surgical excision: The procedure involves small incisions and surgical extraction of the whole lipoma. 
  • Liposuction: A large syringe with a needle is used to aspirate or suck out the fatty tissues. 

Risks and Complications

 Possible side-effects or complications associated with cysts are:

  • Rupture of the cyst
  • Infection that could lead to pain and discomfort
  • Peritonitis (is an inflammation of the thin layer of tissue within your abdomen)
 Lipomas are generally harmless and non-cancerous, however, there could be some possible complications like:

  • They can impinge any nerve or blood vessel causing pain
  • There is a risk of blood clot formation
  • Lipomas can get infected and become inflamed, swollen and painful
  • They may grow to other parts of your body

Takeaway

Several lumps or nodules may develop in your body which are mostly non-cancerous and harmless. They may be lipomas or cysts depending on their characteristic features, which help to differentiate between them. A lipoma is a fat-filled lump mostly found in the forehead, arms, legs, neck, back, and thighs, whereas a sebaceous cyst is a fluid-filled lump that develops from a sebaceous gland and is commonly present in the head and neck region.

Most often, lipomas and cysts do not require any treatment unless they cause pain and discomfort, affecting your quality of life.

Contact our team of expert healthcare professionals at Medfin for a diagnosis and treatment plan. We are dedicated to providing our patients with the best possible treatment with faster recovery and minimal postoperative complications.

Disclaimer: 

The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/ surgery performed. Please seek professional help regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.

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