Cira

I have two cysts in my back. I have flown in the past with no problem except once. One of them became swollen and opened up, I apologize for being gross. I will be flying this Monday and did not think about this until
now.

Any concerns I should have about this?

Scarlett

Sebaceous Cysts are just filled with Keratin which is a protein from your skin..they can get infected, red swollen etc but I have never heard of cabin air pressure bothering them.
I have never had one .. but I had to find out about them for someone else..
I don't think you need to worry.
Now take an aspirin and call me in the morning

logandog

I guess this isn't a "foodie" thread.

wow

Oh, gross.. Logan!

Cira, Use cotton balls to bathe the cysts w/ epsom salts & warm water. Apply an antibiotic prescription cream that you can get from your doc.(Do you have a weekend medical clinic where you live?) Cover each of the suckers w/ a large bandage. And, start taking penicillin which you will also get from your doc. I am assuming there is some kind of infection brewing but if not, you won't need the penicillin. Start w/ the Epsom Salts & warm water right now. It's very soothing.

Dr. Wow

Dukey

Just because one of these epidermal cysts opened up does
NOT mean it has become infected.

And please, whatever you do, do NOT start taking penicillin or any other ABX unnecessarily. Doing so will simply sensitize you to them and may make them less effective when they might actually be needed later.

These things can last for decades and even after they are drained can become filled again and again and again.

gail

If it were me, my biggest concern wqould be sitting for a long period of time leaning on the thing - comfort, not a medical concern. I would make sure it had some sort of padding around it.

AmySabato

HI Gail, it is on my upper back, close to the shoulder and then the other one is a bit lower.

Logan, this is only a "foodie" thread if you want it to be. Ha Ha

Thanks to all the super FODOR members that have come to my assistance. Happy flying!

AmySabato

Yes, Cira responded to you on my ID. Our apologies. Amy is NOT the one with the cyst. LOL

mikemo

Way bizarre recs: I would have them electively excised as true sebaceous cysts retain their "lining cores" and tend to recur - not worth the hassle to "keep 'em", imhpo.
M (MD; NBME; ABIM; ABNM; ABR)

Scarlett

The question was should she be concerned about her cysts popping from the air pressure..
Not what she should do with her cysts ... ick ick ick

Mike, Pup just had surgery on 2..You mentioned greys get them a lot too, right? He had 11 staples on one site..poor Frankenpup. He is all well now though ((&))

wow

Dukey: I did say if there is no infection, you will not need the penicillin!

P_M

I had a cyst for about 25 years on the very top of my head. It started out small but over the years it got bigger and pointed, so I used to call it my cone. (get it, the Coneheads on SNL?)

Grossness alert, do not read any further if you are sensitive:

Every once in a while my cone would rupture, like a volcano spewing white lava. After a day or so it would stop and seal up again, but it never seemed like it was infected. I flew many times over the years of being a conehead and the pressure never bothered my cone.

About 5 years ago the cone had gotten so big I decided it's time to say goodbye. Previously my insurance had refused to pay to de-cone-ify me, but finally my dr. convinced them it was medically necessary and not cosmetic. I am so glad the cone is gone, but now I have a small crater where the cone once stood. I went from being a conehead to a crater head. I only hope my hair will stick around to keep my crater from becoming visible.

Seamus

Pressurized cabins have never had any effect on mine, also in the same anatomical area. Been living with it for 30 years+ and it has remained dormant all that time (knock wood).

BarryK

A change in atmospheric pressure as in air travel will have no effect on a solid or liquid cyst (or anything else solid or liquid for that matter.)

Only gasses are affected by altitude/pressure changes. For example, if you had surgery for a detached retina, and a gas bubble was put in the eye, you need to avoid air travel until given the OK (when the gas is absorbed and replaced with liquid.)

BarryK (MD and BS in Engineering)

gail

Having an admitted sick sense of humor, I am laughing at the image of exploding body parts due to altitude and cabin pressure changes.

NeoPatrick

A few days before returning from Paris a few years ago, I developed a swelling in my groin area. I returned home and it was quite large. My doctor told me it was definitely an infected lymph gland and he scheduled me to see a vascular surgeon for it (yes, that's right). He (my regular doctor) informed me that due to its size, the fact that it was painful to me, and the location, that it was almost surely cancerous. I would need a biopsy, but regardless it would probably have to be removed surgically. It ended up being a cebaceous cyst that went away without treatment, never to return. Needless to say I have a new doctor now.